Red Trail
- 1.4 mi
- loop
- 320 ft
- climb
- 1,914 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Jul–Oct
- best months
Red Trail is an easy, 1.4-mile loop hike in Rib Mountain State Park in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail rises about 320 feet from a starting point near 1,885 feet to a high point of about 1,914 feet. The climb is steepest at about 0.3 miles, with a 22% grade there. The route isn't wheelchair accessible, and bikes and horses aren't allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Wausau put July highs around 80°F and lows near 59°F, and the trail sits higher than the station, so expect it to run a bit cooler. The Yellow Trail and the climbing area of Rib Mountain both lie about 0.1 mile away. The Headstone Area is about 0.2 mile off, and the Quarry Trail is roughly 0.6 mile away.
- Yellow TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Rib MountainRock climbing0.1 mi
- Headstone AreaRock climbing0.2 mi
- Tower Warmup AreaRock climbing0.2 mi
- Pimpin' WallRock climbing0.2 mi
- Granite Peak Ski AreaDownhill skiing0.6 mi
- Quarry TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Homestead Loop TrailHiking0.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Red Trail
Best months: July–October. 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° / 7°
10 wet
Feb
27° / 10°
9 wet
Mar
40° / 21°
10 wet
Apr
54° / 32°
12 wet
May
67° / 45°
13 wet
Jun
76° / 55°
13 wet
Jul
80° / 59°
12 wet
Aug
78° / 57°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 49°
11 wet
Oct
56° / 37°
11 wet
Nov
40° / 25°
10 wet
Dec
28° / 13°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Wausau Dwtn Ap, WI, 3.3 mi away at 1,181 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.
Route details
- Distance
- 1.4 mi
- Climbing
- About 320 ft
- Summit
- 1,920 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 1 hour
Other routes up Rib Mountain
Questions about this route
How long is the Red Trail on Rib Mountain?
About 1.4 mi.
How much elevation gain is on the Red Trail?
About 320 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Red Trail?
It is rated easy.
How long does the Red Trail take?
About 1 hour round trip.
How many routes go up Rib Mountain?
2: Red Trail and Yellow Trail.
Conditions and forecast on Rib Mountain
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
