Woodland Trails Regional Park

Great Northern Trail

4.3 mi · ▲ 87 ft · 1 hr 29 min

Great Northern Trail is a 4.3-mile out-and-back in Woodland Trails Regional Park near Elk River, MN. It is mostly level, with 87 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 15/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi909 – 1,001 ft4.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.31452, -93.58150
Nearest town Elk River, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Great Northern Trail

4.3 mi · ▲ 87 ft · 1 hr 29 min

Elevation 908–1,002 ft

Out & Back · Woodland Trails Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.31452, -93.58150

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:18 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  3. 0.5 miTurn right onto Great Northern Trail, heading NW.
  4. 1.1 miSharp right onto Big Tooth Shoot, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miTurn left onto Gravity Box, heading S.
  6. 150 ftContinue straight onto Gravity Box By-Pass, heading SE.
  7. 400 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  8. 400 ftContinue straight onto Gravity Box, heading E.
  9. 100 ftTurn right onto Big Tooth Shoot, heading NW.
  10. 0.3 miSharp left onto Great Northern Trail, heading NW.
  11. 1.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  13. 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail surface

74% paved17% dirt9% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:18 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~22 min). Leave by 6:36 PM for the 7:18 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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