AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Paint Creek Trail

Lake Orion–Long Lake, 7 lakes

15.7 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Lake Orion–Long Lake, 7 lakes is a 15.7-mile out-and-back in Paint Creek Trail near Oxford, MI. The route passes Duck Lake, Lake Orion, Buckhorn Lake and 2 more before reaching Long Lake at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 188 ft of elevation gain. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi935 – 1,034 ft17.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.80969, -83.27759
Nearest town Oxford, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Orion–Long Lake, 7 lakes

15.7 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Elevation 936–1,033 ft

Out & Back · Paint Creek Trail

Trailhead: 42.80969, -83.27759

Weather Sep 21: Overcast, high 60°F / low 50° · precip 1% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:20 AM · sunset 7:34 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 250 ftTurn left onto Polly Ann Trail, heading S.
  3. 0.8 miPass Duck Lake.
  4. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Polly Ann Trail Connector, heading E.
  5. 0.9 miPass Lake Orion.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  7. 1.1 miSharp left onto Paint Creek to Polly Ann Trail Connector, heading S.
  8. 1 miPass Buckhorn Lake.
  9. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  10. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  11. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  12. 0.8 miPass Paint Creek.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left onto Paint Creek Trail, heading E.
  14. 350 ftPass Foley Pond.
  15. 1.2 miContinue straight onto Paint Creek Trail Connector, heading NW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right onto Saber Way, heading NW.
  17. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Paint Creek Trail Connector, heading N.
  18. 0.6 miPass Long Lake.
  19. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
  20. 500 ftReach Lake Orion, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
  22. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Saber Way, heading SE.
  23. 0.1 miTurn left onto Paint Creek Trail Connector, heading SE.
  24. 250 ftContinue straight onto Paint Creek Trail, heading SE.
  25. 1.3 miTurn right onto Paint Creek to Polly Ann Trail Connector, heading SE.
  26. 1 miTurn left, heading W.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  28. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  29. 1.2 miSharp right, heading W.
  30. 1.1 miTurn right onto Polly Ann Trail Connector, heading N.
  31. 1 miContinue straight onto Polly Ann Trail, heading N.
  32. 1.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  33. 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/lake-orion-long-lake-out-back-9-lakes-via-polly-ann-trail

Trail surface

42% paved16% dirt5% boardwalk37% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 60°F50°
Precip1%Wind7 mphUV4Humidity84%
Rained 0.2″ 2 days ago
Hourly temperature
60°50°
Sunrise 7:20 AM12 AM3 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:34 PM
Tue 63°48°
Wed 68°52°
Thu 68°48°
Fri 70°48°
Sat 73°48°
Sun 72°51°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.6 mi in (~189 min). Leave by 4:05 PM for the 7:34 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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Hikes near Oxford, Michigan