AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Battle Creek Regional Park

Enchanted Forest–Fern Gully, 3 sights

7.6 mi · ▲ 431 ft · 2 hr 45 min

Enchanted Forest–Fern Gully, 3 sights is a 7.6-mile out-and-back in Battle Creek Regional Park near Highwood, MN. It climbs 431 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi702 – 988 ft8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.93310, -93.00470
Nearest town Highwood, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Enchanted Forest–Fern Gully, 3 sights

7.6 mi · ▲ 431 ft · 2 hr 45 min

Elevation 701–988 ft

Out & Back · Battle Creek Regional Park

Trailhead: 44.93310, -93.00470

Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Transit-accessible: McKnight Road & Lower Afton Road stop 15 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Drop into Pine, heading SW.
  4. 350 ftBear right onto Fern Gully, heading NW.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  7. 250 ftBear right onto Enchanted Forest, heading W.
  8. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  9. 100 ftSharp right, heading W.
  10. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sidewinder, heading S.
  12. 300 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  13. 150 ftContinue straight onto Connector, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miSharp left onto Meadow Loop, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Picnic Loop, heading S.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto The Hump, heading SW.
  17. 0.2 miSharp right onto Connector, heading W.
  18. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  22. 0.8 miBear right, heading NW.
  23. 0.5 miSharp right, heading NW.
  24. 150 ftTurn left onto Sam Morgan Regional Trail, heading NW.
  25. 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
  26. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  27. 0.8 miReach Fern Gully, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 0.8 miBear right, heading SE.
  29. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  30. 150 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  31. 0.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  32. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  33. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  35. 50 ftTurn right onto Connector, heading SE.
  36. 250 ftSharp left onto The Hump, heading SE.
  37. 0.2 miBear right onto Picnic Loop, heading S.
  38. 50 ftTurn left onto Meadow Loop, heading S.
  39. 50 ftSharp right onto Connector, heading S.
  40. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  41. 250 ftContinue straight onto Sidewinder, heading E.
  42. 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
  43. 0.1 miSharp left, heading SE.
  44. 50 ftContinue straight onto Enchanted Forest, heading SE.
  45. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  46. 150 ftBear left, heading S.
  47. 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
  48. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  49. 100 ftContinue straight onto Fern Gully, heading NE.
  50. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  51. 150 ftContinue straight onto Drop into Pine, heading N.
  52. 250 ftBear right, heading E.
  53. 0.2 miArrive 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/enchanted-forest-fern-gully-out-back-3-sights

Trail surface

60% paved37% dirt3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 6:14 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: McKnight Road & Lower Afton Road stop 15 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Highwood, Minnesota