Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 4 lakes

10.7 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 3 hr 38 min

Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 4 lakes is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Lake Shore Park, MN. The route passes Goose Lake, Birch Lake, Gilfillan Lake and Lily Pond. It is mostly level, with 133 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi892 – 968 ft11.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.07348, -93.01400
Nearest town Lake Shore Park, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 4 lakes

10.7 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 3 hr 38 min

Elevation 894–970 ft

Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.07348, -93.01400

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:11 PM

Transit-accessible: Lake (Old White Bear) stop 235 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftPass Goose Lake.
  3. 300 ftBear right onto Mark Sather Trail, heading NW.
  4. 300 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 1 miPass Birch Lake.
  10. 2.1 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  12. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  13. 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  15. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  17. 50 ftPass Lily Pond.
  18. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  20. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  22. 0.3 miReach Goose Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  25. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  26. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  27. 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
  28. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  29. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  30. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  31. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  32. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  33. 3.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  34. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  35. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  36. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  37. 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

99% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:11 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:42 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:36 PM — 5 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lake (Old White Bear) stop 235 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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