Red Loop
- 0.4 mi
- round trip
- 64 ft
- climb
- 1,636 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Red Loop is a cross-country ski route in Northern Highland State Forest in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The loop is short, about 0.4 miles one way, and the climb is gentle, with a total gain of 64 feet over the round trip. The route is an out-and-back, and the high point sits at 1,636 feet, with the steepest stretch coming at about 0.24 miles in. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from the nearby Minocqua weather station show January highs around 20°F with lows near 1°F and about 10 snow days, while March still brings highs in the upper 30s and snow on six days. Snow days drop to one in May, and by June the station records no snow at all. The loop sits among a cluster of similar routes. Blue Loop is about half a mile away, Yellow Loop about 0.6 miles, and Green Loop about 0.7 miles. For a change from skiing, the Nature Trail Loop hike is about 2 miles off.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Red 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, 4.2 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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Blue Loop
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0.69-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 156 ft elevation gain in Wisconsin.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
