Big Rivers Regional Trail
15.8 mi · ▲ 460 ft · 5 hr 30 min
Big Rivers Regional Trail is a 15.8-mile out-and-back in Central Park near Mendota Heights, MN. It climbs 460 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Rivers Regional Trail
15.8 mi · ▲ 460 ft · 5 hr 30 min
Elevation 832–973 ft
Out & Back · Central Park
Trailhead: 44.86680, -93.14653
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM
Transit-accessible: Lexington Av S stop 145 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Big Rivers Regional Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 1.5 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading W.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 2.7 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 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 3.7 mi in (~92 min). Leave by 5:14 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Lexington Av S stop 145 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Big Rivers Regional Trail 15.7 mi · ▲ 487 ft
- Big Rivers Regional Viewpoint–Big Rivers Regional Trail, 3 sights 10.8 mi · ▲ 164 ft
- East Thomas Lake & Schwanze Lake via Big Rivers Regional Trail 15.9 mi · ▲ 552 ft
- Jensen Lake–Thomas Lake, 8 lakes 16 mi · ▲ 601 ft
- River to River Greenway 5.1 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- River to River Greenway 5 mi · ▲ 81 ft
Get outside more
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