Elm Creek Forest Trail via Medicine Lake Regional Trail

8 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 2 hr 43 min

Elm Creek Forest Trail via Medicine Lake Regional Trail is an 8-mile out-and-back near Corcoran, MN. It is mostly level, with 108 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi892 – 988 ft8.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.08269, -93.52074
Nearest town Corcoran, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Elm Creek Forest Trail via Medicine Lake Regional Trail

8 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 2 hr 43 min

Elevation 894–988 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 45.08269, -93.52074

Weather Sep 22: Mostly clear, high 63°F / low 46° · precip 1% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:13 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  3. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  4. 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  7. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  8. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  9. 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
  10. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  11. 250 ftContinue straight onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading NE.
  12. 1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  13. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  14. 0.3 miTurn right onto Elm Creek Forest Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 0.5 miReach Elm Creek Forest Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  20. 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
  21. 50 ftTurn left onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading NW.
  22. 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  23. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  24. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  29. 300 ftBear left, heading SW.
  30. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  31. 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

97% paved1% boardwalk2% unspecified

Weather

Mostly clearTemperature 63°F46°
Feels like47°Precip1%Wind4 mphUV5Humidity84%
Rained 0.8″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
65°45°
Sunrise 7:02 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:13 PM
Wed 64°46°
Thu 58°54° 50%
Fri 68°54° 21%
Sat 64°58° 54%
Sun 68°59° 22%
Mon 73°58° 26%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:39 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead