AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Elm Creek Park Reserve

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail

11.1 mi · ▲ 250 ft · 3 hr 49 min

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail is an 11.1-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Champlin, MN. It climbs 250 ft. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 938 ft12.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.18748, -93.43007
Nearest town Champlin, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail

11.1 mi · ▲ 250 ft · 3 hr 49 min

Elevation 856–940 ft

Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve

Trailhead: 45.18748, -93.43007

Weather Sep 21: Overcast, high 60°F / low 47° · precip 18% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hayden Loop, heading NW.
  4. 1 miTurn left, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  6. 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  8. 0.3 miTurn left onto Sumac Trail, heading W.
  9. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 100 ftTurn left onto Meadowlark Trail, heading SW.
  11. 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
  12. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  13. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  14. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  15. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  16. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  17. 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  18. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  19. 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
  20. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  21. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  22. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  23. 250 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.1 miReach Hayden Loop, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.1 miSharp left, heading W.
  26. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  27. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  28. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  29. 350 ftSharp left, heading S.
  30. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  32. 0.6 miBear left, heading N.
  33. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  34. 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
  35. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  36. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  37. 450 ftBear right onto Meadowlark Trail, heading N.
  38. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  39. 100 ftTurn left onto Sumac Trail, heading N.
  40. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  41. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  42. 450 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  43. 1.8 miBear right, heading NE.
  44. 0.2 miTurn right onto Hayden Loop, heading NW.
  45. 1 miTurn left, heading N.
  46. 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/hayden-loop-hayden-loop-out-back-3-sights-18-km-8b49

Trail surface

38% grass31% paved25% dirt4% gravel2% boardwalk

Weather

OvercastTemperature 60°F47°
Precip18%Wind4 mphUV2Humidity84%
Rained 0.6″ 3 days ago (0.9″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
60°45° 2 AM: 1% rain3 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 13% rain2 PM: 18% rain3 PM: 15% rain4 PM: 11% rain5 PM: 2% rain6 PM: 1% rain7 PM: 2% rain8 PM: 1% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:00 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:15 PM
Tue 63°44°
Wed 69°46°
Thu 68°57° 50%
Fri 68°55° 17%
Sat 66°61° 47%
Sun 74°59° 24%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.3 mi in (~111 min). Leave by 5:04 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:20 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Champlin, Minnesota