AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Central Park

Big Rivers Regional Trail

14.5 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 5 hr 2 min

Big Rivers Regional Trail is a 14.5-mile out-and-back in Central Park near Nicols, MN. It climbs 408 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi797 – 932 ft16.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.82140, -93.20400
Nearest town Nicols, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Rivers Regional Trail

14.5 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 5 hr 2 min

Elevation 796–932 ft

Out & Back · Central Park

Trailhead: 44.82140, -93.20400

Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Transit-accessible: Ballantrae Rd stop 252 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  4. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  6. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 0.6 miSharp left, heading E.
  10. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading N.
  14. 1.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  15. 2.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  17. 350 ftContinue straight onto River to River Greenway, heading N.
  18. 200 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  19. 500 ftTurn left, heading N.
  20. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  21. 2.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  22. 1 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading W.
  23. 1.7 miTurn right, heading S.
  24. 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  26. 450 ftSharp right, heading S.
  27. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
  28. 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  29. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  30. 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
  31. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  32. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  34. 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/big-rivers-regional-trail-out-back-23-km-93d0

Trail surface

94% paved6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.6 mi in (~145 min). Leave by 4:23 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Ballantrae Rd stop 252 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Nicols, Minnesota