Lake Minnetonka & Dakota Rail Regional Trail
15.9 mi · ▲ 109 ft · 5 hr 21 min
Lake Minnetonka & Dakota Rail Regional Trail is a 15.9-mile out-and-back near Wayzata, MN. The route reaches Lake Minnetonka. It is mostly level, with 109 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lake Minnetonka & Dakota Rail Regional Trail
15.9 mi · ▲ 109 ft · 5 hr 21 min
Elevation 929–969 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 44.96993, -93.51715
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:08 PM
Transit-accessible: Wayzata Blvd stop 376 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnetonka.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Dakota Rail Regional Trail, heading W.
- 3.9 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
- 1.5 miBear left, heading W.
- 1.4 miReach Lake Minnetonka, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.9 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 4.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.3 mi in (~128 min). Leave by 4:39 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:30 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Wayzata Blvd stop 376 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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