About the Arboretum Ski Trails

SJU Soccer Field

Beginner

The perimeter of the SJU Athletic fields is a great loop to warm up on or to practice in a flat area if you're a beginner. The soccer field also serves as the main entry point to access the other trails. 

Old Entrance Road (3K)

Beginner

The Old Entrance Road loop is a two directional down and back loop on the western edge of the old entrance road.  It begins by the "Old Stone Arch" and goes all the way down to the footbridge over the interstate. The eastern edge of the road is plowed for runners, walkers, and driving access to the sugar shack and radio tower.

Lake Hilary (5K)

Beginner - Intermediate

Lake Hilary is a loop on the east side of the Old Entrance Road and begins by the Stone Arch. It loops off of the Saint John's Prep athletic field (others know it as the rugby field or tower field) and around a small body of water called Lake Hilary. This is a gentle loop with some hills and can be skiied in either direction. Many people find that skiing counter clockwise tends to be safer and more enjoyable.

Pine Knob (5K)

Beginner - Intermediate

The Pine Knob is the outer loop on the west side of the Old Entrance road.  It is intended to be skied in a counter clockwise direction.  Pine Knob generally runs parallel to the roads up to the Prep School, the Old Entrance road, and the interstate before returning through the Pine Knob and coming out by the baseball fields. The Pine Knob has a few more challenging hills than the Lake Hilary loop, but is still a relatively gentle ski.

“New to be named extension” (3K)

Intermediate 

This trail has been around for several years but hadn't been maintained.  It has been rediscovered!  It is an extension off of the north end of the Pine Knob Trail.  It loops near the interstate, down to the edge of the wetlands to the west, and then back up to the Pine Knob.  It is a fun little loop with moderate up and downs.  You will work a little.

Trinity loop (5K)

Advanced

This is a very challenging race course that twists, climbs, and falls “inside” the Pine Knob loop.  It begins by the parking lot in a counterclockwise direction on the intramural field to the far end where it heads off into the woods to climb the first big uphill called the Trinity hill (the Prep school kids call it ‘Mount Everest’.)  There are 3 big uphills (Trinity 1,2 and 3) with challenging downhills (‘the wicked Lefts’, ‘toilet bowl’, and ‘old rabbit run’.)  The Trinity joins the Pine Knob just before the baseball field and returns to the parking lot.  Please be careful not to ski this trail backwards- it is intended to be skied in one direction and there are signs along the trail telling you which direction to ski.