Clifton E. French Regional Park

Medicine Lake–French Park Beach, 3 beaches

4.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 1 hr 32 min

Medicine Lake–French Park Beach, 3 beaches is a 4.5-mile out-and-back in Clifton E. French Regional Park near New Hope, MN. The route passes French Park Beach before reaching Medicine Lake at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 80 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi889 – 981 ft5.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.02124, -93.39165
Nearest town New Hope, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake–French Park Beach, 3 beaches

4.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 1 hr 32 min

Elevation 890–982 ft

Out & Back · Clifton E. French Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.02124, -93.39165

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Transit-accessible: Aquila Av stop 95 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 150 ftTurn left onto Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading W.
  4. 1.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading SW.
  6. 0.4 miPass French Park Beach.
  7. 0.1 miSharp left, heading W.
  8. 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
  9. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 450 ftReach Medicine Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  12. 200 ftBear left, heading S.
  13. 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  14. 50 ftTurn right onto Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading E.
  15. 1.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  16. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  17. 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

86% paved9% dirt5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 6:38 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Aquila Av stop 95 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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