Oregon · Hiking

Aspen Ridge Nordic Trail

5.5 mi
loop
830 ft
climb
5,767 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Jun, Aug–Sep
best months

Is ASPEN RIDGE NORDIC TRAIL open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Fremont-Winema National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Fremont-Winema National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Aspen Ridge Nordic Trail is a 5.5-mile loop in the Bly Ranger District of Oregon's Fremont-Winema National Forest, with a moderate climb of 830 feet. The trail starts at about 5,390 feet and reaches a high point of 5,767 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 4.8 miles in, where the grade reaches 18 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Gerber Dam weather station, about 14 miles away, show July highs around 86°F and lows near 48°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The trip takes about two hours. Aspen Ridge Nordic Spur 107A lies 0.8 miles away, and Holbrook Reservoir campground is 1.8 miles off. Lofton to Heart Lake is 2.5 miles away, and Fishhole Creek offers canoeing about 6 miles out.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit ASPEN RIDGE NORDIC TRAIL

    Best months: May–June and August–September. 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

      43° / 21°

    2. Feb

      45° / 24°

    3. Mar

      49° / 25°

    4. Apr

      56° / 29°

    5. May

      64° / 37°

    6. Jun

      75° / 40°

    7. Jul

      86° / 48°

    8. Aug

      84° / 47°

    9. Sep

      78° / 39°

    10. Oct

      64° / 31°

    11. Nov

      49° / 25°

    12. Dec

      40° / 19°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gerber Dam, OR, 14.2 mi away at 4,870 ft. The station sits about 900 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

MAIN TRAIL SOUTHPhoto: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

MAIN TRAIL SOUTH

~11 min drive

27.33-mile point-to-point trail in Oregon with 1,658 ft gain and 6,029 ft max elevation.

QUARTZ VALLEY NORDIC LOOPPhoto: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

QUARTZ VALLEY NORDIC LOOP

~13 min drive

3.35-mile loop in Oregon with 467 ft gain and 540 ft loss.

Dead Cow TrailPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Dead Cow Trail

~39 min drive

3.80-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 13 ft gain and 666 ft loss

HIKE

SOUTH TRAIL SIDE LOOP

~9 min drive

31.1-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Oregon with 2,650 ft elevation gain and loss.

QUARTZ NORDIC EAST LOOPPhoto: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

QUARTZ NORDIC EAST LOOP

~12 min drive

17.4-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 2,275 ft elevation gain/loss.

Sprague River Spur APhoto: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sprague River Spur A

~19 min drive

0.96-mile out-and-back trail at Sprague River Spur A in Oregon with 58 ft of elevation gain.

Bullard Canyon TrailPhoto: OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons, No known copyright restrictions (via Flickr)

Bullard Canyon Trail

~46 min drive

3.33-mile out-and-back trail in Oregon with 1,315 ft gain.

HIKE

QUARTZ MTN. NORDIC TRAIL

~11 min drive

19.96-mile out-and-back trail with 2,635 ft elevation gain and loss in Oregon.

Lakes LoopPhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lakes Loop

~39 min drive

14-mile loop trail in Oregon with 1,412 ft elevation gain.

Sprague River TrailPhoto: ex_magician, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sprague River Trail

~19 min drive

0.86-mile out-and-back hike along the Sprague River in Oregon.