You Have to Go Cross Country Skiing at Oxbow Beer Garden

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If you’re looking for a winter activity in Maine that feels a little different, you have to try cross-country skiing at Oxbow Beer Garden. There’s just something about skiing through quiet snowy trails and then relaxing at the hut. Here is everything you need to know!

XC Sking at Oxbow Beer Garden

Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford, Maine, is already a fun spot in the warmer months.

But in the winter, it turns into something completely different.

Once the snow falls, the property is groomed into cross-country ski trails that loop through the woods,

Skis lined up outside the hidden hut at Oxbow Beer Garden.

There is also a hut in the middle of the forest where you can drink craft beers and get warm by the fire.

And the best part? It’s free!

You can bring your own skis and just go, which makes it one of the easiest and most affordable winter activities in Maine.

My Day Cross Country Skiing at Oxbow Beer Garden

When we arrived at Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford, Maine, it was freezing. I’m talking about 7 degrees cold.

The kind of cold where you question your life choices for a second.

But once we got our skis on and started moving, it honestly didn’t feel that bad.

We bundled up, clipped in, and headed straight out for cross-country skiing through the woods.

Hitting the Trails

Oxbow Beer Garden has a surprisingly big cross-country skiing trail system with three different route options.

We chose the green trail, which winds through the forest and loops around the property.

Cross-country skiing at Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford, Maine on a freezing but beautiful winter day.

It felt peaceful!

Just the sound of skis sliding over the snow and trees surrounding us on all sides.

The trail was well-marked and easy to follow, which made this cross-country skiing experience even better.

The Hidden Hut in the Woods

About thirty minutes into our cross-country ski, we started seeing signs for The Hut.

Obviously, we followed them.

When you see this sign, you know you’re close to the best mid-ski stop at Oxbow.

The Hut is basically a hidden Alpine Bar tucked into the forest, surrounded by fire pits and snow-covered trees.

The Hut tucked in the woods at Oxbow Beer Garden, the best mid ski stop when you’re cross country skiing.

We grabbed one of Oxbow’s craft beers and stood by the fire, watching dogs run around in the snow while the smell of a bonfire filled the air.

Screenshot

Cross-country skiing in Maine is already a great winter activity.

But adding a hidden beer stop in the middle of the woods makes it even better.

Back on the Trails

After warming up, we clicked back into our skis and headed out for another half hour on the trails.

By that point, we were fully warmed up, and the cold didn’t even matter anymore.

The winter exterior of Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford, Maine, where cross country skiing trails lead right back to

Eventually, the loop brought us right back to Oxbow Beer Garden, completing about an hour of cross-country skiing around the property.

Pizza and Craft Beer at Oxbow

At that point, we were ready to sit down and eat!

We ordered the Pizza Rossa, which comes with tomato sauce, garlic, and fresh basil.

It’s listed as vegan, but we added ricotta, and it was exactly what we wanted after skiing in the cold.

Nothing hits like pizza and a couple draft beers at Oxbow after a freezing day outside.

For beer, we tried their Farmhouse Pale Ale, a saison that felt light and refreshing without being too heavy after skiing.

There’s just something about finishing a few miles of cross-country skiing and then sitting down with pizza and a draft beer that makes the whole winter day feel complete.