South River Trail
- 1.2 mi
- round trip
- 486 ft
- climb
- 703 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr, Jul–Oct
- best months
South River Trail is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Afton State Park in Wisconsin, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is an out-and-back that covers about 2.4 miles, with a high point of 703 feet and a low of 690 feet. The climb is minimal, with no elevation gain, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.87 miles in, where the grade reaches 15 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Hastings Dam 2, Minnesota, show January highs around 24°F and lows near 6°F, while February runs a little warmer, with highs around 29°F. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the trail, so its figures are a fair guide to conditions on the snow. Several other trails lie close by. North River Trail is about 0.3 miles away, and the Interpretive Trail and Oliver Charley Trail are each within half a mile. Prairie Loop is about a mile off.
Best time to go · Apr, Jul–Oct
Best time to visit South River Trail
Best months: April and July–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
24° / 6°
9 wet
Feb
29° / 9°
7 wet
Mar
41° / 22°
9 wet
Apr
56° / 36°
12 wet
May
69° / 48°
13 wet
Jun
79° / 59°
13 wet
Jul
83° / 63°
11 wet
Aug
81° / 61°
10 wet
Sep
73° / 53°
10 wet
Oct
59° / 40°
10 wet
Nov
43° / 27°
8 wet
Dec
30° / 14°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hastings Dam 2, MN, 8.3 mi away at 680 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Interpretive Trail
Next door
0.30-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 17 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Oliver Charley Trail
Next door
0.41-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 7 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Flats
~17 min drive
Flats is a 1.03-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 45 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Nelson Farm Trail
~21 min drive
Nelson Farm Trail is a 0.86-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 179 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Nelson Farm Trail
~19 min drive
Nelson Farm Trail is a cross-country ski trail in Wisconsin.
SKI
Oliver Charley Trail
~1 min drive
0.38-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 11 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
North Trail
~18 min drive
0.4 mi
SKI
Horseshoe Trail
~22 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Minnesota.
SKI
Nelson Farm Trail
~20 min drive
0.53-mile out-and-back trail in Wisconsin with 136 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Prairie Loop
~2 min drive
1.06-mile out-and-back ski out-and-back in Wisconsin with 120 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
