New York · Cross-country skiing

Jackrabbit Trail

3.7 mi
round trip
1,752 ft
climb
2,575 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Jackrabbit Trail is a cross-country skiing route in the Mckenzie Mountain Wilderness of New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is an out-and-back of about 7.4 miles, with a one-way climb of roughly 974 feet. The route starts at about 1,678 feet and reaches a high point of about 2,575 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 20% grade around the 1.1-mile mark. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F with lows near 6°F, and the station sits about 687 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. Several other destinations lie within a short drive. North Haystack Trail and McKenzie Mountain Trail are both about a mile away, and the Mothership climbing area is about 1.5 miles off. For fishing, Lower Saranac Lake is about 6.8 miles away.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Jackrabbit Trail

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      23° / 6°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      27° / 8°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 16°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

      14 wet

    5. May

      62° / 40°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 49°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 54°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 52°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 45°

      13 wet

    10. Oct

      52° / 35°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 25°

      16 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 14°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 4.7 mi away at 1,888 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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