Elm Creek Park Reserve

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

9 mi · ▲ 260 ft · 3 hr 8 min

Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It climbs 260 ft. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 925 ft10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.12917, -93.44488
Nearest town Osseo, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

9 mi · ▲ 260 ft · 3 hr 8 min

Elevation 856–925 ft

Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve

Trailhead: 45.12917, -93.44488

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading NE.
  4. 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
  5. 400 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  6. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  7. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  8. 0.7 miBear left, heading N.
  9. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  10. 50 ftBear left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading N.
  11. 250 ftTurn right onto Monarch Trail, heading NW.
  12. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  13. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  14. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  16. 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  17. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  18. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  19. 1.4 miBear right, heading N.
  20. 300 ftBear left, heading E.
  21. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  22. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  23. 300 ftBear left, heading E.
  24. 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  25. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  26. 450 ftSharp right, heading S.
  27. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  28. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  29. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading SW.
  31. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  32. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  33. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  34. 0.7 miBear right, heading S.
  35. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  36. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  37. 400 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
  38. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  39. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  40. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail surface

48% paved35% grass11% gravel5% dirt1% boardwalk

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~97 min). Leave by 5:18 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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