Yellow Loop
- 0.8 mi
- round trip
- 105 ft
- climb
- 1,652 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Yellow 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 a short out-and-back, about 1.5 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 105 feet. The route rises to a high point of 1,652 feet from a low of 1,621 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.34 miles in, with a grade of about 3 percent. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Minocqua show January highs around 20°F with lows near 1°F and about 10 snow days. By May, highs reach about 64°F, and snow days drop to one. The loop sits among several other ski routes. Blue 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 off.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Yellow 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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Beaver Pond
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Mellow Meadow
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Red Loop
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Clear Lake Paved Bike Path
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0.16-mile out-and-back ski route in Wisconsin with 13 ft of elevation gain.
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Squirrel's Tail
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0.37-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wisconsin with 183 ft of elevation gain.
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Nekoosa
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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
