AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Snail Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes

14.8 mi · ▲ 190 ft · 5 hr 2 min

Snail Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Lake Shore Park, MN. The route passes Whitaker Pond, Birch Lake, Gilfillan Lake and 2 more before reaching Sunfish Lake at the turnaround, 7.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 190 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi886 – 968 ft15.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.07857, -93.02623
Nearest town Lake Shore Park, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Snail Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes

14.8 mi · ▲ 190 ft · 5 hr 2 min

Elevation 885–970 ft

Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.07857, -93.02623

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Transit-accessible: Karen Place stop 744 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Whitaker Pond.
  3. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  4. 0.6 miPass Birch Lake.
  5. 2.1 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
  6. 0.5 miPass Sucker Lake.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail, heading W.
  8. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  9. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 350 ftContinue straight onto Sucker Lake Road, heading N.
  12. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  14. 1.4 miPass Snail Lake.
  15. 1 miPass Sunfish Lake.
  16. 0.1 miReach Snail Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 2.5 miBear right, heading E.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  20. 0.5 miTurn left onto Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail, heading SW.
  21. 1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  22. 3.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  23. 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/birch-lake-gilfillan-lake-out-back-6-lakes

Trail surface

86% paved14% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.1 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 5:38 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Karen Place stop 744 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Lake Shore Park, Minnesota