Birkebeiner Trail
- 1.0 mi
- round trip
- 262 ft
- climb
- 1,383 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Sep–Oct
- best months
The Birkebeiner Trail is a cross-country ski route in northern Wisconsin, about 3 miles from the town of Hayward. It is a short out-and-back, roughly 2 miles long, with a high point of about 1,380 feet and a low of about 1,250 feet. The climb is a little over 200 feet total, and the steepest stretch comes within the first tenth of a mile, with a grade of about 11 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Hayward show January highs around 22°F with lows near 2°F, and February is similar at about 27°F and 5°F. By March, highs reach about 40°F, and by May they climb to about 67°F. The trail sits close to several other cross-country ski routes. Hatchery Creek Trail is about 0.1 mile away and Hatchery Ski Trail about 0.2 mile. Pine Loop is roughly 2 miles off.
Best time to go · Sep–Oct
Best time to visit Birkebeiner Trail
Best months: September–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
22° / 2°
7 wet
Feb
27° / 5°
7 wet
Mar
40° / 17°
9 wet
Apr
53° / 29°
11 wet
May
67° / 41°
14 wet
Jun
75° / 51°
13 wet
Jul
80° / 55°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 53°
13 wet
Sep
69° / 45°
12 wet
Oct
55° / 34°
12 wet
Nov
39° / 23°
9 wet
Dec
27° / 10°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hayward Muni Ap, WI, 0.8 mi away at 1,204 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Birkebeiner Trail
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0.23-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 30 ft of elevation gain.
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Hatchery Creek Trail
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Birkebeiner Trail
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4.73-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 446 ft of elevation gain.
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Birkebeiner Trail
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0.24-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 43 ft of elevation gain.
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Birkebeiner Trail
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1.58-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 158 ft of elevation gain.
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Seeley Hills Ski 5k
~12 min drive
0.24-mile out-and-back ski route in Wisconsin with 48 ft of elevation gain.
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West Loop
~15 min drive
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Hatchery Ski Trail
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0.31-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 7 ft of elevation gain.
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Birkebeiner Trail
~4 min drive
3.23-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 448 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
