AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Fort Snelling State Park

Gun Club Lake & Highline Trail

15.4 mi · ▲ 447 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Gun Club Lake & Highline Trail is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Fort Snelling State Park near Nicols, MN. The route reaches Gun Club Lake. It climbs 447 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi699 – 932 ft16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.86088, -93.21354
Nearest town Nicols, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gun Club Lake & Highline Trail

15.4 mi · ▲ 447 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Elevation 698–932 ft

Out & Back · Fort Snelling State Park

Trailhead: 44.86088, -93.21354

Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Transit-accessible: American / Hwy 494 stop 737 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 1 miPass Gun Club Lake.
  3. 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  6. 1.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  7. 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  8. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  9. 450 ftSharp right, heading W.
  10. 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
  11. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
  12. 1.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
  13. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  14. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  15. 0.2 miTurn right onto Highline Trail, heading SW.
  16. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  18. 150 ftReach Gun Club Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 150 ftBear left, heading W.
  20. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  21. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  24. 1.6 miTurn right, heading N.
  25. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  26. 0.6 miSharp left, heading E.
  27. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  28. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  29. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  30. 1.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  31. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  33. 1.6 miArrive 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/highline-trail-out-back-19-km-10dd

Trail surface

94% paved3% gravel1% dirt2% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.8 mi in (~172 min). Leave by 3:57 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:13 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: American / Hwy 494 stop 737 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Nicols, Minnesota