AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Grass Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 5 lakes

15.4 mi · ▲ 249 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Grass Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 5 lakes is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Arden Hills, MN. The route passes Grass Lake, Sucker Lake and Gilfillan Lake before reaching Frogs at the turnaround, 7.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 249 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi883 – 988 ft16.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.06110, -93.14703
Nearest town Arden Hills, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Grass Lake–Gilfillan Lake, 5 lakes

15.4 mi · ▲ 249 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Elevation 883–988 ft

Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.06110, -93.14703

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:12 PM

Transit-accessible: Gramsie Rd stop 5 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 0.7 miTurn right, heading S.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  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. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sucker Lake Road, heading E.
  11. 0.3 miSharp right onto Sucker Lake Nordic Ski Trail, heading N.
  12. 0.9 miPass Sucker Lake.
  13. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  14. 0.5 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
  15. 1.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  16. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  17. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  19. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  21. 1 miPass Frogs.
  22. 0.2 miReach Grass Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  25. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  27. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  28. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  29. 2.8 miSharp left, heading SE.
  30. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sucker Lake Road, heading W.
  31. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  32. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 0.8 miTurn right, heading S.
  34. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  35. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  36. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  37. 0.7 miTurn left, heading W.
  38. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/grass-lake-gilfillan-lake-out-back-5-lakes-25-km

Trail surface

84% paved16% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:12 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:37 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Gramsie Rd stop 5 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Arden Hills, Minnesota