Morningside Trail
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 7 ft
- climb
- 866 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Oct
- best months
Morningside Trail is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Governor Nelson State Park in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The nearest town is Mendota, about 2.3 miles away. The trail is an out-and-back of about 0.8 miles, with a flat profile and almost no elevation change. The high point is 866 feet, and the low point is 856 feet, so the total climb and descent are each about 7 feet. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Madison show January highs around 27°F with about 10 snow days, while March brings highs near 44°F and fewer snow days. Snow days drop to zero from May through September. Woodland Trail, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.6 miles away. Lake Mendota, a fishing spot, is about 1.9 miles off. Dudley Davis Quarry Park and the UW Madison Campus climbing areas are both within about 4.3 miles.
Best time to go · Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Morningside Trail
Best months: June–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
27° / 12°
10 wet · 10 snow
Feb
31° / 15°
10 wet · 8 snow
Mar
44° / 25°
11 wet · 5 snow
Apr
57° / 36°
12 wet · 2 snow
May
69° / 47°
13 wet
Jun
79° / 57°
12 wet
Jul
82° / 62°
10 wet
Aug
80° / 60°
9 wet
Sep
73° / 51°
9 wet
Oct
60° / 40°
10 wet · 1 snow
Nov
45° / 29°
10 wet · 4 snow
Dec
32° / 18°
10 wet · 8 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Madison Dane Rgnl Ap, WI, 4.7 mi away at 866 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Pleasant View
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Seasonal Ski Trail
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Blackhawk Ski Club
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Challenger
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0.12-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 67 ft of elevation gain.
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Round-A-Lot
~11 min drive
0.10-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 36 ft of elevation gain.
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Upper Field
~11 min drive
0.56-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 83 ft of elevation gain.
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Challenger
~11 min drive
Challenger is a 0.11-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 7 feet of elevation gain.
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Round-A-Bit
~11 min drive
Round-A-Bit is a 0.10-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 20 feet of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
