AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lilydale-Harriet Island Park

Pickerel Lake–Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint, 4 sights

15.8 mi · ▲ 247 ft · 5 hr 23 min

Pickerel Lake–Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint, 4 sights is a 15.8-mile out-and-back in Lilydale-Harriet Island Park near Mendota Heights, MN. The route passes Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint and Pickerel Lake. It is mostly level, with 247 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi699 – 932 ft17.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.84786, -93.13266
Nearest town Mendota Heights, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pickerel Lake–Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint, 4 sights

15.8 mi · ▲ 247 ft · 5 hr 23 min

Elevation 698–932 ft

Out & Back · Lilydale-Harriet Island Park

Trailhead: 44.84786, -93.13266

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

Transit-accessible: Dodd Rd stop 508 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  4. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading N.
  6. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  7. 0.2 miPass Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint.
  8. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  9. 1.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  10. 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  12. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 1.9 miTurn left onto Lilydale Regional Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.9 miPass Pickerel Lake.
  16. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  17. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  18. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  19. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  20. 250 ftReach Pickerel Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
  22. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  23. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  24. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  25. 1.1 miTurn right onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading SW.
  26. 1.9 miTurn right, heading SW.
  27. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  28. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
  29. 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  31. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  32. 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  33. 1.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  34. 1 miTurn left, heading E.
  35. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  36. 0.4 miArrive 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-viewpoint-big-rivers-regional-trail-out-back-3-sights-21-km

Trail surface

99% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.0 mi in (~125 min). Leave by 4:43 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Dodd Rd stop 508 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mendota Heights, Minnesota