Woodland Trail
- 1.2 mi
- loop
- 56 ft
- climb
- 954 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Jun–Oct
- best months
Woodland Trail is a cross-country ski loop in Governor Nelson State Park in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is about 1.2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 56 feet and a total loss of 124 feet. It is rated hard, and the steepest stretch comes at about the 1-mile mark, where the grade reaches 8%. Winter is the natural season for this trail. 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. Morningside Trail, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.6 miles away. Lake Mendota, a fishing spot, is about 1.5 miles off. Dudley Davis Quarry Park and the UW Madison Campus climbing areas are both within about 4 miles.
Best time to go · Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Woodland 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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Morningside Trail
Next door
Morningside Trail is a 0.41-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 13 feet of elevation gain.
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Seasonal Ski Trail
~10 min drive
0.15-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 38 ft of elevation gain.
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Round-A-Lot
~10 min drive
0.56-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 98 ft of elevation gain.
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Challenger
~11 min drive
0.12-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 67 ft of elevation gain.
SEE
Blackhawk Ski Club
~13 min drive
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Pleasant View
~10 min drive
0.17-mile out-and-back ski route in Wisconsin.
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Round-A-Lot
~10 min drive
0.10-mile out-and-back route in Wisconsin with 36 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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Lower Field
~11 min drive
0.15-mile loop in Wisconsin with 16 ft of elevation gain.
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Round-A-Lot
~11 min drive
0.37-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 35 feet of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
