AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Theodore Wirth Park

Back 40–Wirth Lake, 13 lakes

5.2 mi · ▲ 369 ft · 1 hr 55 min

Back 40–Wirth Lake, 13 lakes is a 5.2-mile out-and-back in Theodore Wirth Park near Glenwood Junction, MN. The route passes Ski Jump Pond, Back 40, Wirth Pond and 5 more before reaching Brownie Lake at the turnaround, 2.6 miles in. It climbs 369 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi820 – 968 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.01004, -93.31851
Nearest town Glenwood Junction, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Back 40–Wirth Lake, 13 lakes

5.2 mi · ▲ 369 ft · 1 hr 55 min

Elevation 821–969 ft

Out & Back · Theodore Wirth Park

Trailhead: 45.01004, -93.31851

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Transit-accessible: 30th Ave N & Xerxes Ave N stop 151 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 0.9 miBear left, heading SW.
  4. 150 ftContinue straight onto 45 North Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  6. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miBear right onto Luce Line Regional Trail, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftPass Ski Jump Pond.
  10. 50 ftPass Back 40.
  11. 400 ftTurn left, heading W.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto South Loop, heading SW.
  13. 300 ftPass Wirth Pond.
  14. 250 ftPass Wirth Lake Beach.
  15. 450 ftContinue straight onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading S.
  16. 0.1 miPass Wirth Lake.
  17. 350 ftContinue straight onto Glenwood Loop, heading S.
  18. 100 ftBear left onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading S.
  19. 50 ftContinue straight onto Glenwood Loop, heading S.
  20. 300 ftPass Meadow Lane Woods Pond.
  21. 100 ftPass Meadow Pond.
  22. 500 ftPass Birch Pond.
  23. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  24. 100 ftBear left, heading S.
  25. 350 ftTurn left onto Southwest Wirth, heading S.
  26. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  27. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  28. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  29. 150 ftPass Brownie Lake.
  30. 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  31. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  32. 50 ftBear right onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading S.
  33. 300 ftSharp right onto Brownie Lake, heading S.
  34. 50 ftReach Back 40, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  35. 50 ftSharp left onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading S.
  36. 300 ftBear left, heading S.
  37. 50 ftBear left onto Southwest Wirth, heading S.
  38. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  39. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  40. 250 ftBear left, heading S.
  41. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  42. 350 ftBear right, heading SE.
  43. 50 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  44. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Glenwood Loop, heading E.
  45. 400 ftContinue straight onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading SE.
  46. 50 ftBear right onto Glenwood Loop, heading SE.
  47. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading SE.
  48. 0.2 miContinue straight onto South Loop, heading SE.
  49. 0.3 miTurn right onto Luce Line Regional Trail, heading W.
  50. 450 ftBear left onto Wirth Parkway Bike Path, heading NW.
  51. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  52. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  53. 0.1 miBear left onto 45 North Trail, heading NW.
  54. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  55. 0.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
  56. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/back-40-wirth-lake-out-back-16-lakes

Trail surface

59% paved35% dirt3% grass3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:35 PM — 9 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 30th Ave N & Xerxes Ave N stop 151 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Glenwood Junction, Minnesota