AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Grass Lake–Birch Lake, 3 lakes

13.5 mi · ▲ 281 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Grass Lake–Birch Lake, 3 lakes is a 13.5-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Shoreview, MN. The route passes Grass Lake, Gilfillan Lake and Birch Lake. It climbs 281 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi883 – 1,007 ft15.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.06983, -93.14957
Nearest town Shoreview, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Grass Lake–Birch Lake, 3 lakes

13.5 mi · ▲ 281 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Elevation 883–1,009 ft

Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.06983, -93.14957

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:14 PM

Transit-accessible: Cummings Park Dr stop 175 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  3. 0.7 miTurn right, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right, heading E.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  7. 0.2 miPass Grass Lake.
  8. 0.6 miTurn left, heading N.
  9. 1 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 350 ftBear right, heading E.
  11. 100 ftSharp left, heading E.
  12. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  13. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  14. 300 ftPass Gilfillan Lake.
  15. 1.6 miPass Birch Lake.
  16. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  18. 0.5 miReach Grass Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.5 miBear right, heading NE.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  21. 1.8 miTurn left, heading W.
  22. 0.8 miTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 150 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  24. 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
  25. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  26. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  27. 0.8 miTurn right, heading W.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  29. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  32. 150 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/grass-lake-birch-lake-out-back-3-lakes-22-km

Trail surface

100% paved

Weather

Sunrise 6:59 AMSunset 7:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~20 min). Leave by 6:34 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Cummings Park Dr stop 175 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Shoreview, Minnesota