Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park
East Vadnais Lake–West Vadnais Lake, 9 lakes
12.3 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 4 hr 11 min
East Vadnais Lake–West Vadnais Lake, 9 lakes is a 12.3-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Bald Eagle, MN. The route passes Tamarack Lake, Fish Lake, Birch Lake and 3 more. It is mostly level, with 162 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
East Vadnais Lake–West Vadnais Lake, 9 lakes
12.3 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 4 hr 11 min
Elevation 884–970 ft
Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park
Trailhead: Paved Trail · 45.10158, -93.03722
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:13 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 right, heading S.
- 1.5 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.8 miPass East Vadnais Lake.
- 250 ftPass West Vadnais Lake.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Sucker Lake Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miReach East Vadnais Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading N.
- 350 ftBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.8 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
- 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 N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Turtle Pass Trail, heading N.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Bluestem Trail Paved Loop, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Paved Trail, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Grass Walking & Hiking Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Paved Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 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 (~12 min). Leave by 6:42 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:41 PM — 2 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Paved Trail Trailhead
- Birch Lake–Tamarack Lake, 7 lakes 7.8 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Goose Lake–Birch Lake, 7 lakes 7.6 mi · ▲ 27 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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