Spring Lake–Upper Prior Lake, 4 lakes

15.7 mi · ▲ 357 ft · 5 hr 25 min

Spring Lake–Upper Prior Lake, 4 lakes is a 15.7-mile out-and-back near Grainwood, MN. The route passes Mystic Lake and Upper Prior Lake before reaching Spring Lake at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 357 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi843 – 1,050 ft16.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.74586, -93.42935
Nearest town Grainwood, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Spring Lake–Upper Prior Lake, 4 lakes

15.7 mi · ▲ 357 ft · 5 hr 25 min

Elevation 844–1,049 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 44.74586, -93.42935

Weather Sep 23: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  3. 1.9 miTurn left, heading W.
  4. 0.5 miPass Mystic Lake.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 1.9 miTurn left onto Big Woods Regional Trail, heading S.
  7. 1.1 miPass Upper Prior Lake.
  8. 2.5 miReach Spring Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 3.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  10. 1.9 miTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  12. 1.9 miTurn right, heading E.
  13. 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

99% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:11 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 5:50 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:23 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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