Upper Prior Lake & Mystic Lake via Big Woods Regional Trail
15.8 mi · ▲ 656 ft · 5 hr 36 min
Upper Prior Lake & Mystic Lake via Big Woods Regional Trail is a 15.8-mile out-and-back near Glendale, MN. The route passes Mystic Lake before reaching Upper Prior Lake at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 656 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Prior Lake & Mystic Lake via Big Woods Regional Trail
15.8 mi · ▲ 656 ft · 5 hr 36 min
Elevation 844–1,049 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 44.74611, -93.37743
Weather Sep 23: Overcast, high 69°F / low 47° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 4.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.4 miPass Mystic Lake.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 1.9 miTurn left onto Big Woods Regional Trail, heading S.
- 1.2 miReach Upper Prior Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 1.9 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 4.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Thunder Canyon via Minnesota Valley State Trail 16 mi · ▲ 462 ft
- Sand Point Beach 3.9 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Lower Prior Lake & Sand Point Beach 3.8 mi · ▲ 189 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Glendale, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Glendale, Minnesota