Fort Snelling State Park
Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint–Big Rivers Regional Trail, 3 sights
15.4 mi · ▲ 275 ft · 5 hr 16 min
Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint–Big Rivers Regional Trail, 3 sights is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Fort Snelling State Park near Mendota Heights, MN. The route reaches Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint. It climbs 275 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint–Big Rivers Regional Trail, 3 sights
15.4 mi · ▲ 275 ft · 5 hr 16 min
Elevation 700–932 ft
Out & Back · Fort Snelling State Park
Trailhead: 44.85198, -93.12999
Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:08 PM
Transit-accessible: Dodd Rd stop 11 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.9 miTurn left onto Lilydale Regional Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miReach Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading S.
- 1.9 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.9 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 5.6 mi in (~140 min). Leave by 4:28 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Dodd Rd stop 11 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- River to River Greenway 13.6 mi · ▲ 299 ft
- Jensen Lake–Thomas Lake, 8 lakes 16.1 mi · ▲ 493 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 12.9 mi · ▲ 272 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 163 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 247 ft
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