Elm Creek Swim Pond & Medicine Lake Regional Trail
5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elm Creek Swim Pond & Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 5-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Maple Grove, MN. The route reaches Elm Creek Swim Pond at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Elm Creek Swim Pond & Medicine Lake Regional Trail
5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 876–949 ft
Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve
Trailhead: Medicine Lake Regional Trail · 45.12514, -93.48080
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Valley Trail, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftPass Elm Creek Swim Pond.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 400 ftReach Elm Creek Swim Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 450 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miArrive 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 0.2 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:32 PM — 11 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Medicine Lake Regional Trail Trailhead
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 110 ft
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail Loop 2.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail Loop 2.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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