Wisconsin · Mountain biking

Prairie Loop (Lower)

0.7 mi
round trip
90 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
Apr, Jul–Oct
best months

Prairie Loop (Lower) is a short, easy mountain biking route in Upper Hixon Forest, on city-managed land in Wisconsin. It's a 1.3-mile out-and-back that starts and ends at nearly the same elevation, with a high point of 1,284 feet and a low of 1,231 feet. The climb is gentle, with a one-way gain of 37 feet, and the steepest stretch comes about a quarter of the way in at about a 4% grade. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 80°F with lows near 62°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. Several other spots sit close by. Stinky's and Chicanery are both about a tenth of a mile away, and Grandad Bluff, a climbing area, is roughly a mile off. Paddlers can head to the Goose Island Canoe Trail, about 7 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jul–Oct

    Best time to visit Prairie Loop (Lower)

    Best months: April and 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.

    1. Jan

      24° / 8°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / 13°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 24°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 36°

      12 wet

    5. May

      67° / 48°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      76° / 58°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 62°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 60°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      71° / 52°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 40°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 15°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at La Crosse Wfo, WI, 0.1 mi away at 1,307 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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