Blue Loop
- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 129 ft
- climb
- 1,631 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Blue Loop is a 0.98-mile out-and-back cross-country ski route in Northern Highland State Forest in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is rated moderate, with a low point of 1,609 feet and a high of 1,631 feet, for a total elevation gain of 12 feet. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from the nearby Minocqua weather station put January highs around 20°F with lows near 1°F and about 10 snowy days. By April, typical highs climb to about 49°F, and snow days drop to around four. The loop sits close to several other routes. Yellow Loop and Red Loop are each about 0.1 mile away, and Green Loop is about 0.2 mile away. For an overnight stay, Cunard Lake Campground is about 5 miles from the trail.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Blue Loop
Best months: May–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.
Jan
20° / 1°
11 wet · 10 snow
Feb
25° / 3°
8 wet · 7 snow
Mar
37° / 13°
9 wet · 6 snow
Apr
49° / 26°
11 wet · 4 snow
May
64° / 39°
12 wet · 1 snow
Jun
73° / 51°
12 wet
Jul
77° / 54°
12 wet
Aug
75° / 52°
11 wet
Sep
67° / 45°
12 wet
Oct
52° / 34°
13 wet · 2 snow
Nov
37° / 22°
12 wet · 6 snow
Dec
25° / 9°
11 wet · 9 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minocqua, WI, 4.6 mi away at 1,601 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Green Loop
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0.45-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 41 ft elevation gain.
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Clear Lake Paved Bike Path
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0.14-mile out-and-back route on a paved bike path in Wisconsin.
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Beaver Pond
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0.11-mile out-and-back ski trail at Beaver Pond in Wisconsin.
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Mellow Meadow
~23 min drive
0.57-mile loop in Wisconsin with 57 ft of elevation gain.
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Red Loop
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0.26-mile out-and-back ski route in Wisconsin with 19 feet of elevation gain.
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Clear Lake Paved Bike Path
~4 min drive
0.16-mile out-and-back ski route in Wisconsin with 13 ft of elevation gain.
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Squirrel's Tail
~23 min drive
0.37-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 183 ft of elevation gain.
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Nekoosa
~23 min drive
0.80-mile out-and-back ski trail in Nekoosa, Wisconsin with 40 feet of elevation gain.
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Red Loop
Next door
0.52-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 157 ft of elevation gain.
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Clear Lake Paved Bike Path
~4 min drive
0.32-mile out-and-back route at Clear Lake Paved Bike Path in Wisconsin
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
