Birkebeiner Trail

The Birkebeiner Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in Bayfield County Forest, Wisconsin, on county land. The trail rises from about 1,538 feet to a high point of 1,739 feet, with a total climb of 654 feet over the course of the trip. The steepest stretch comes at about 2.5 miles, where the grade reaches 9 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Drummond, WI, show January highs around 19°F with lows near 3°F, and February is similar at about 25°F and 6°F. The station sits roughly 400 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the higher ground run a little cooler. The trail sits right alongside the Birkie Classic and Old Korte West routes, both about 0.1 mile away, and the North End Classic Trail is 0.4 mile off. For a change of pace, the Namekagon River offers river fishing about 2.6 miles away.