Medicine Lake Regional Trail
9 mi · ▲ 207 ft · 3 hr 6 min
Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It is mostly level, with 207 ft of elevation gain. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Medicine Lake Regional Trail
9 mi · ▲ 207 ft · 3 hr 6 min
Elevation 856–925 ft
Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve
Trailhead: 45.13227, -93.45852
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 200 ftSharp left onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Monarch Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1.8 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.9 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~99 min). Leave by 5:16 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Meadowlark Trail 8.3 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Elm Creek Park Reserve Beach–Elm Creek Swim Pond, 4 sights 4 mi · ▲ 172 ft
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Hikes near Osseo, Minnesota