Elkhorn Lake–Buckhorn Lake, 3 lakes
10 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 3 hr 24 min
Elkhorn Lake–Buckhorn Lake, 3 lakes is a 10-mile out-and-back in Friendship Park near Lake Orion Heights, MI. The route passes Buckhorn Lake and Elkhorn Lake before reaching Fishing Lake at the turnaround, 4.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 133 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Elkhorn Lake–Buckhorn Lake, 3 lakes
10 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 3 hr 24 min
Elevation 987–1,055 ft
Out & Back · Friendship Park
Trailhead: 42.76149, -83.24486
Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 63°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 7:21 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Buckhorn Lake.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Paint Creek to Polly Ann Trail Connector, heading NE.
- 1.4 miPass Elkhorn Lake.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 1.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Fishing Lake.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 250 ftReach Elkhorn Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 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 0.9 mi in (~21 min). Leave by 6:52 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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