New York · Cross-country skiing

Three Trails

0.2 mi
round trip
72 ft
climb
1,990 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Three Trails is a short, easy cross-country ski route in the Mount Van Hoevenberg Winter Recreation Area in New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is an out-and-back of about 0.4 miles, with a total climb of 72 feet and a high point of 1,990 feet. It starts at about 1,987 feet and ends at about 1,938 feet, so the route is roughly level with a slight drop at the end. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F and lows near 6°F, with February the warmest month at about 27°F. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run slightly cooler. Several other cross-country ski routes lie within a short distance, including Beech Hill, Lower Gully and Brookside Loop, each about 0.2 miles away. For a change of pace, the West Branch Ausable River offers canoeing about 2 miles off.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Three Trails

    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, 6.1 mi away at 1,888 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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