Fish Lake West Trail

10.6 mi · ▲ 276 ft · 3 hr 40 min

Fish Lake West Trail is a 10.6-mile out-and-back near Hamel, MN. It climbs 276 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi899 – 1,004 ft12.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.04274, -93.52129
Nearest town Hamel, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Fish Lake West Trail

10.6 mi · ▲ 276 ft · 3 hr 40 min

Elevation 899–1,003 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 45.04274, -93.52129

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Trojan Trail, heading NE.
  4. 300 ftBear left, heading E.
  5. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  6. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  10. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  13. 1.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 0.9 miTurn left, heading E.
  15. 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
  16. 400 ftTurn right, heading E.
  17. 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 1.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading NE.
  21. 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  23. 0.3 miSharp right onto Fish Lake West Trail, heading N.
  24. 0.3 miReach Fish Lake West Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  26. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  28. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading W.
  29. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  31. 1.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  32. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  33. 400 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  34. 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  35. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
  36. 1.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  37. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  38. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  39. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  40. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  41. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  42. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  43. 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  44. 50 ftContinue straight onto Trojan Trail, heading SW.
  45. 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
  46. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  47. 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
  48. 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  49. 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% paved3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:59 AMSunset 7:17 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~63 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead