Trails and Grooming
- Keep the trails relatively smooth during summer. The smoother the trails in summer, the less snow we need to start skiing in winter.
- Keep the trails cleared of fallen trees.
- With the borough, maintain the trail lighting system.
- With the help of volunteers, put up and take down race course marking materials.
We can accomplish this only with your support, so please consider making a trail donation!
Largely because of our vibrant Nordic skiing community, Fairbanks is blessed with abundant trails for all skiing techniques, with trails for novice, intermediate, expert, and elite skiers. Here are links to maps for trail systems you can explore:
- Birch Hill Recreation Area – Site of most of NSCF’s activities, with trails for every ability and technique. Groomed by NSCF. Read more about the Birch Hill Facilities and the Jim Whisenhant Trail System. New for 2017: Check out the Birch Hill Sunnyside Trail Map for the new trail that takes off from the Outhouse Loop Trail in the southwest part of Birch Hill and goes to the base of the Sonot Connector in the Ft. Wainwright ski area.
- UAF West Ridge/Skarland Ski Trails – Part of the historic Skarland ski trail system, trails for every ability and technique. Groomed by UAF.
- Goldstream Sports Ski Trails – One of many local businesses that support Nordic skiing, the company grooms a set of three classic skiing loops on the west end of Goldstream Valley north of Fairbanks.
Birch Hill Trails Map App
Get the Trailforks app in your favorite app store (there is a free version). Once installed, search for “Birch Hill Recreation Area” or navigate using the map. Select “Nordic Ski” under activity type dropdown menu. Or use the QR code here to go to the Birch Hill page on trailforks.com.
Skiers in the lower 48 pay substantial fees for day passes and season passes. You can ski at Birch Hill without having to purchase a day pass or a season pass, or wear a ticket on your clothing. However, if the high-quality trail system is to continue to exist, and if the superb grooming we have all come to expect is to go on into the future, those things have to get paid for.
Below are the donation amounts suggested by the NSCF Board of Directors. These donations are based on the actual costs of operating our trails program. A survey of what people pay at commercial and club trail operations in the Lower 48 and Canada where fees are charged confirms that these amounts are typical, or even on the low end, for a ski center the size and quality of Birch Hill. Keep in mind that for most operations outside of Alaska, the ski season is 1/2 to 2/3 the length of a typical Fairbanks ski season. The cost of our grooming operations is a direct function of the length of our season:
- Individual Season Pass / Youth (younger than high school) – $90
- Individual Season Pass / Junior-Student (high school or college student – $150
- Individual Season Pass / Adult – $200
- Couples Season Pass / Adult – $300
- Family Season Pass (includes children through high school) – $400
Sustaining donor levels:
- Tracksetter – $500
- Trailblazer – $1000
As you are making your donation decision, please keep these numbers in mind . . . so that we can keep enjoying the great trails and grooming for which Birch Hill is justifiably renowned.
Please donate today!
Birch Hill Trail Updates
NSCF Starts Mowing Birch Hill Rec Area Trails
As Birch Hill Rec Area summer trails users know, the grass can get a bit on the long side on some of the trails before the FNSB Parks & Rec Department does the fall mowing before ski season starts. Last winter the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks got a 2010 Kubota...
Summer Word from the Birch Hill Groomers
Blackhawk and Chinook are closed today for maintenance. All other trails are open.
Summer Word from the Birch Hill Groomers
For today, June 27, all trails are open other than Roller Coaster and Medivac, which are still closed. Watch for equipment throughout the trail system.
Birch Hill Trail Conditions
Name | Date Last Groomed | Condition | Skill | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lighted Loops | ||||
Warm-Up | 05/05/23 | Groomed, | Easy | 1.5 km |
Relay Start | 05/05/23 | Groomed, | Easy | 750 meters |
Tower Loop | 05/05/23 | Groomed | Difficult | 2.3 km |
Old Tower | Easy | 250 meters | ||
Roller Coaster | More Difficult | 900 meters | ||
White Bear Access | 05/05/23 | Groomed, | Difficult | 900 meters |
South Tower | Difficult | 400 meters | ||
Tower Direct | 05/05/23 | Groomed | Difficult | 150 meters |
Medivac | Most Difficult | 400 meters | ||
Green Dot | 05/05/23 | Groomed, | Easy | 300 meters |
Blue Loops | ||||
Blue Loop | Difficult | 1.2 km | ||
Outhouse Loop | DO NOT SKI WATCH FOR DIRT ACCROSS TRAIL | Difficult | 2.5 km | |
Sunnyside & Cliffside SAP PERMIT REQUIED | Very Difficult | 3.6 km | ||
Black Loops | ||||
Competition Loop | Most Difficult | 1.1 km | ||
North Forty (N40) | Most Difficult | 2.5 km | ||
Black Hole | Most Difficult | 2.5 km | ||
Tommy Knocker | Difficult | 0.2 km | ||
Tommy Knocker Extension | Difficult | 100 m | ||
Black Funk/Black Baron | Difficult | 0.25 km | ||
White Bear Loops | ||||
White Bear SAP PERMIT REQIRED | 05/05/23 | Groomed, Single pass no tracks to Zoomer Cut-off. | Difficult | 9.9 km |
Moilanen Meadows SAP PERMIT REQUIED | Difficult | 1.5 km | ||
North Side Classical SAP PERMIT REQUIED | Difficult | 6 km | ||
White Cub SAP PERMIT REQUIED | 05/05/23 | Groomed, | Easy | 1 km |
South Side Classics | ||||
Blackhawk & Chinook SAP PERMIT REQUIED | Difficult | 5.6 km | ||
Sonot Connector SAP PERMIT REQUIED | Difficult | 2 km |
The NSCF Trails are sponsored by…








