AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Elm Creek Park Reserve

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail

8.7 mi · ▲ 248 ft · 3 hr 1 min

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail is an 8.7-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It is mostly level, with 248 ft of elevation gain. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 938 ft9.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.14182, -93.45946
Nearest town Osseo, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hayden Loop & Meadowlark Trail

8.7 mi · ▲ 248 ft · 3 hr 1 min

Elevation 856–937 ft

Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve

Trailhead: 45.14182, -93.45946

Weather Sep 20: Overcast, high 63°F / low 52° · precip 1% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  3. 100 ftBear left, heading N.
  4. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 450 ftBear right onto Meadowlark Trail, heading NE.
  9. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  10. 100 ftTurn left onto Sumac Trail, heading NE.
  11. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  12. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  13. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  14. 1.8 miBear right, heading NE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn right onto Hayden Loop, heading NE.
  16. 0.8 miReach Meadowlark Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
  18. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  19. 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  20. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  21. 0.3 miTurn left onto Sumac Trail, heading E.
  22. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  23. 100 ftTurn left onto Meadowlark Trail, heading E.
  24. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  25. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 0.1 miSharp left, heading SW.
  28. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  29. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  30. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  31. 250 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-meadowlark-trail-out-back-14-km-18be

Trail surface

42% grass32% dirt21% paved5% gravel

Weather

OvercastTemperature 63°F52°
Precip1%Wind7 mphUV5Humidity73%
Rained 0.6″ 2 days ago (0.9″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:59 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:17 PM
Mon 58°47°
Tue 65°43°
Wed 68°47°
Thu 66°56° 33%
Fri 65°54°
Sat 63°56° 29%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:48 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:41 PM — 6 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Osseo, Minnesota