Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes
7.6 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 33 min
Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes is a 7.6-mile out-and-back in Tamarack Nature Center near Bald Eagle, MN. The route passes Tamarack Lake, Fish Lake and Birch Lake before reaching Goose Lake at the turnaround, 3.6 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
Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes
7.6 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 33 min
Elevation 909–948 ft
Out & Back · Tamarack Nature Center
Trailhead: Paved Trail · 45.10158, -93.03722
Weather Sep 22: Partly cloudy, high 61°F / low 45° · precip 1% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Paved Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Grass Walking & Hiking Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Paved Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Bluestem Trail Paved Loop, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Turtle Pass Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Tamarack Lake.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Acorn Loop, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Dragonfly Loop, heading S.
- 450 ftPass Fish Lake.
- 150 ftSharp left onto Grass Walking & Hiking Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Deer Pass Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Birch Lake.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Mark Sather Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Goose Lake.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftReach Goose Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Deer Pass Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Grass Walking & Hiking Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Dragonfly Loop, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Acorn Loop, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Turtle Pass Trail, heading N.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Bluestem Trail Paved Loop, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Paved Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Grass Walking & Hiking Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Paved Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 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 0.5 mi in (~11 min). Leave by 6:41 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 3 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Paved Trail Trailhead
- East Vadnais Lake–West Vadnais Lake, 9 lakes 12.3 mi · ▲ 162 ft
- Birch Lake–Tamarack Lake, 7 lakes 7.8 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Birch Lake–Tamarack Lake, 6 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Otter Lake via Birch Lake Regional Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Bald Eagle Lake via Birch Lake Regional Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Mound–Tamarack Lake Loop, 7 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 57 ft
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