Northwoods Loop
- 0.2 mi
- round trip
- 151 ft
- climb
- 2,153 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Northwoods Loop is a short, out-and-back cross-country ski route in the Adirondak Loj, a non-governmental organization-managed land unit in New York. The trail is about half a mile long, with a total elevation gain of about 150 feet, and it is rated moderate. The high point is about 2,150 feet, and the steepest stretch comes early in the route, with a grade of about 6 percent. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F with lows near 6°F, while July highs reach about 74°F. That station sits roughly 265 feet lower than the loop's high point, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Several other ski routes lie close by. Lower Rimrock and Upper Rimrock are each about 0.1 mile away, and Easy Side Drive is about 0.2 mile off. For a change of pace, the West Branch Ausable River offers canoeing about 1.6 miles away.
Best time to go
Best time to visit Northwoods Loop
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.
Jan
23° / 6°
18 wet
Feb
27° / 8°
14 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
14 wet
Apr
49° / 29°
14 wet
May
62° / 40°
15 wet
Jun
70° / 49°
14 wet
Jul
74° / 54°
14 wet
Aug
73° / 52°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 45°
13 wet
Oct
52° / 35°
15 wet
Nov
40° / 25°
16 wet
Dec
28° / 14°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 8.2 mi away at 1,888 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Lower Rimrock
Next door
0.39-mile out-and-back ski route in New York with 15 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Easy Side Drive
Next door
0.56-mile out-and-back route in New York with 62 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Van Hoevenberg Trail
Next door
0.98-mile out-and-back route in New York with 313 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
West Side Speedway
~1 min drive
0.49-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 401 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Mount Jo-Rimrock Ski Trail
Next door
0.5 mi
SKI
Upper Rimrock
Next door
0.28-mile out-and-back route at Upper Rimrock in New York
SKI
Crossover Trail
Next door
Crossover Trail is a 0.13-mile cross-country ski route in New York.
SKI
Street and Nye Ski Trail
~1 min drive
2.8 mi
SKI
Speedway Cutover
~2 min drive
0.17-mile out-and-back route in New York with 5 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Northwoods Loop
Next door
0.20-mile out-and-back ski route in New York with 107 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
