Elm Creek Park Reserve

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

0 mi856 – 925 ft9.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.13227, -93.45852
Nearest town Osseo, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 200 ftSharp left onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading N.
  3. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  5. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  6. 400 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  8. 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  10. 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
  11. 50 ftBear left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading N.
  12. 250 ftTurn right onto Monarch Trail, heading N.
  13. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  14. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  15. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 200 ftSharp left, heading N.
  18. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  20. 1.8 miBear right, heading E.
  21. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  22. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  23. 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  24. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  25. 450 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  26. 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  28. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  29. 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading S.
  30. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  31. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  32. 0.9 miBear right, heading S.
  33. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  34. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  35. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  36. 400 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
  37. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  38. 0.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
  39. 350 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  40. 100 ftSharp right, heading W.
  41. 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

50% grass28% paved11% gravel10% dirt1% boardwalk

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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