Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park
Birch Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 4 lakes
8.2 mi · ▲ 82 ft · 2 hr 46 min
Birch Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 4 lakes is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Gem Lake, MN. The route passes Birch Lake, Gilfillan Lake and Sucker Lake. It is mostly level, with 82 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Birch Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 4 lakes
8.2 mi · ▲ 82 ft · 2 hr 46 min
Elevation 885–970 ft
Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park
Trailhead: 45.07860, -93.03859
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:13 PM
Transit-accessible: Birch Lake Blvd S stop 363 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Birch Lake.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 2.1 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
- 0.5 miPass Sucker Lake.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail, heading W.
- 1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftReach Birch Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right onto Sucker Lake Road, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail, heading S.
- 1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 2.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~64 min). Leave by 5:50 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Birch Lake Blvd S stop 363 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Lake Owasso–Grass Lake, 6 lakes 14.6 mi · ▲ 297 ft
- East Vadnais Lake–Birch Lake, 3 lakes 8.8 mi · ▲ 135 ft
- Mark Sather Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Otter Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes 6.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft
Get outside more
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Hikes near Gem Lake, Minnesota