‘Tis hot at lower elevations, so we head up into the Sangre de Cristo’s higher elevation and a cooler temperatures.
The Drive In
Quite straightforward: drive up SR 475, also known as Hyde Park Road. The Norski Trails are 6.7 miles from the Hyde Memorial Park Lodge. Parking is on the leftside of the road for a quite a few cars.”
The Hike
Norski Trails Hike.Jay.2026-06-30
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line). Click on the image for a full-screen view.
This was our 2d choice for the day; we started down Rio en Medio from the Aspen Basin Campground, but I found the very steep trail on nothing but rocks to be too challenging. So we retreated to ….
The Norski Trails are a haven for Nordic (cross-country) skiers: nice wide trails with relatively gentle slopes and not a lot of elevation gain. 
They wind around on a ridge with some views of the Sangre de Cristo to the east and north and the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo and in the distance the Jemez Mountains to the west. We made one circuit of the Trails, but one could make it a longer hike by taking advantage of crossing trails throughout the area.
Statistics
Total Distance: 2.71 miles
Elevation: start 10,298 ft, maximum 10,319 ft, minimum 10,042 ft
Gross gain: 256 ft. Aggregate ascending 762 ft, descending 762 ft
Maximum slope: 33% ascending, 37% descending, 10% average
Duration: 2:05, Average Speed: 1.3 mph, Shade: 50%
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| If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, give it a try. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get good idea of the hike and the terrain. For some ideas, check out Using Google Earth Track Files. | |
Related Posts
References and Resources
AllTrails: Norski Cross Country Ski Track
Facebook: Norski Trail Santa Fe Hiking
Photos
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