Clifton E. French Regional Park

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 4 lakes

4.8 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 41 min

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 4 lakes is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Clifton E. French Regional Park near New Hope, MN. The route passes Northwood Lake, French Park Beach and Medicine Lake before reaching French Park Beach at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 162 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi889 – 981 ft5.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.02414, -93.38964
Nearest town New Hope, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 4 lakes

4.8 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 41 min

Elevation 888–982 ft

Out & Back · Clifton E. French Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.02414, -93.38964

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

Transit-accessible: Northwood Pkwy stop 69 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftPass Northwood Lake.
  3. 150 ftTurn left onto Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading S.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 1.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
  6. 50 ftTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading SW.
  7. 0.4 miPass French Park Beach.
  8. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  11. 250 ftPass French Park Beach.
  12. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  13. 150 ftReach Medicine Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  18. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  19. 50 ftTurn right onto Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading E.
  20. 1.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  21. 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

98% paved1% dirt1% boardwalk

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~22 min). Leave by 6:33 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Northwood Pkwy stop 69 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead