Cross-country skiing trail

![Course layout of the cross-country skiing events at the Olympic Winter Games at Whistler Winter Park for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Red and blue denotes separate 5-km courses for skiathlon events (classic + skating).[15]](/uploads/202501/24/Course_layout_of_the_cross-country_ski_events_at_the_Olympic_Winter_Games_at_Whistler_Winter_Park1422.jpg)

A cross-country skiing trail or loipe is a route that has been laid out, constructed and maintained specifically for cross-country skiing. Trails may extend point-to-point, but are more typically loops for recreational use or for competition. Until the mid-20th Century, trails were tracked by the passage of skiers. More recently, snow groomers set tracks for classic skiing and smooth lanes for skate skiing.