This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n XC Skiing on the Grand Mesa might be the epitome of XC skiing on the Western Slope. The Skyway and County Line Area of the Grand Mesa offer 19 miles (30 kilometers) of groomed trails. The Ward Nordic area has another 11 miles (18.7 kilometers) of marked trails. Not all trails in the Ward area are groomed by snowmobile. Some of these are ungroomed but marked trails for backcountry skiers. The amazing thing about these trails is that they are free to use. You can make donations to the grand Mesa Nordic Council, however, to help with the cost of grooming and upkeep for all of these trails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it is your first time XC skiing or first time on the Grand Mesa, I recommend sticking to the County Line Area trails. These are some of the flatter trails and do not require as much ability to ski up and down hills on skinny XC skis. One of the trails that I continually find myself going back to consists of linking the Dog Loop to the Tower Trail and returning on the Overlook Trail. This makes for a nearly 6-mile loop and is a great trail if you are used to XC skiing. If it is your first time, there are many shorter loops that can be completed in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find out more about grooming conditions and find trail maps on the Grand Mesa Nordic Council’s website here<\/a>. If you are considering a multi-day ski trip on the Grand Mesa, you can stay at the Grand Mesa Lodge<\/a> and be minutes away from these ski trails. The Grand Mesa Lodge features multiple different cabins of varying sizes for your group. They also have a restaurant, bar, and convenience store on site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrand Mesa Nordic Trails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n