East Thomas Lake via Big Rivers Regional Trail
15.9 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 5 hr 30 min
East Thomas Lake via Big Rivers Regional Trail is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Central Park near Mendota Heights, MN. The route reaches East Thomas Lake at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 408 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
East Thomas Lake via Big Rivers Regional Trail
15.9 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 5 hr 30 min
Elevation 832–951 ft
Out & Back · Central Park
Trailhead: 44.87832, -93.12923
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM
Transit-accessible: Mendakota Dr stop 235 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 1.8 miPass East Thomas Lake.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftReach East Thomas Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 2.7 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~35 min). Leave by 6:11 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Mendakota Dr stop 235 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Pickerel Lake–Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint, 4 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 191 ft
- Carlson Lake via Big Rivers Regional Trail 16 mi · ▲ 464 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 6.4 mi · ▲ 83 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 7.2 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 6.6 mi · ▲ 135 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 7.4 mi · ▲ 214 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Mendota Heights, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Mendota Heights, Minnesota