Lower Arboretum–Lilac Hill, 6 lakes is a 3.3-mile out-and-back near Waterford, MN. The route passes Retention Pond, Lower Arboretum, Lower Lyman Lake and Upper Lyman Lake before reaching Lilac Hill at the turnaround, 1.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 108 ft of elevation gain. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi892 – 988 ft3.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 44.47482, -93.13147
Nearest town Waterford, MN
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lower Arboretum–Lilac Hill, 6 lakes
3.3 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 1 hr 9 min
Elevation 892–987 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 44.47482, -93.13147
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Carleton Arboretum Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miPass Retention Pond.
- 50 ftPass Lower Arboretum.
- 50 ftPass Lower Lyman Lake.
- 0.1 miPass Upper Lyman Lake.
- 50 ftPass Lilac Hill.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Lower Arboretum, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
30% grass25% gravel5% paved40% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:04 AMSunset 7:06 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Upper Arboretum–Lower Arboretum, 6 groves 5.6 mi · ▲ 192 ft
- Turtle Pond 1.9 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Oxbow Pond via Carleton Arboretum Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 53 ft
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