AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Clifton E. French Regional Park

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 6 sights

13 mi · ▲ 315 ft · 4 hr 29 min

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 6 sights is a 13-mile out-and-back in Clifton E. French Regional Park near Crystal, MN. The route passes Northwood Lake, French Park Beach and Medicine Lake. It climbs 315 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi883 – 981 ft14.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Bassett Creek Regional Trail 45.01473, -93.36843
Nearest town Crystal, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake–Northwood Lake, 6 sights

13 mi · ▲ 315 ft · 4 hr 29 min

Elevation 883–982 ft

Out & Back · Clifton E. French Regional Park

Trailhead: Bassett Creek Regional Trail · 45.01473, -93.36843

Weather Sep 22: Partly cloudy, high 64°F / low 46° · precip 1% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:13 PM

Transit-accessible: 32 Av N stop 147 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading W.
  2. 1.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  3. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  4. 0.1 miPass Northwood Lake.
  5. 150 ftBear left, heading W.
  6. 150 ftSharp left, heading W.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  8. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  9. 1.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  10. 50 ftTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading W.
  11. 0.3 miPass French Park Beach.
  12. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  15. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  16. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  19. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  20. 50 ftPass Medicine Lake.
  21. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  22. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  23. 0.2 miTurn right onto Skyline Trail, heading SE.
  24. 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  25. 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
  26. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  27. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SE.
  28. 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  29. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  30. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  31. 50 ftContinue straight onto Medicine Lake Path, heading S.
  32. 0.4 miReach Medicine Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  33. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  34. 500 ftTurn left, heading S.
  35. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  36. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  37. 0.9 miBear right, heading NW.
  38. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  39. 250 ftTurn right onto Skyline Trail, heading NW.
  40. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  41. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  42. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  43. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  44. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  45. 0.3 miBear right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading N.
  46. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  47. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  48. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  49. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  50. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  51. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  52. 50 ftTurn right onto Bassett Creek Regional Trail, heading S.
  53. 1.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  54. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  55. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  56. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  57. 0.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  58. 1.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/medicine-lake-northwood-lake-out-back-6-sights

Trail surface

77% paved16% dirt4% gravel3% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 64°F46°
Feels like48°Precip1%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity82%
Rained 0.8″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
65°45°
Sunrise 7:01 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:13 PM
Wed 66°48°
Thu 66°56° 49%
Fri 68°59° 15%
Sat 63°60° 53%
Sun 73°59° 23%
Mon 77°60° 26%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~65 min). Leave by 5:48 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 32 Av N stop 147 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Bassett Creek Regional Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Crystal, Minnesota