AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Elm Creek Park Reserve

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

9.8 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 3 hr 25 min

Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 9.8-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It climbs 310 ft. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 925 ft10.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.12368, -93.44795
Nearest town Osseo, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

9.8 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 3 hr 25 min

Elevation 856–925 ft

Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve

Trailhead: 45.12368, -93.44795

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 66°F / low 44° · precip 1% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:13 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading N.
  7. 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
  8. 400 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  9. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  10. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  11. 0.7 miBear left, heading N.
  12. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftBear left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading N.
  14. 250 ftTurn right onto Monarch Trail, heading N.
  15. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  16. 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
  17. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  20. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  21. 0.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  22. 1.4 miBear right, heading N.
  23. 300 ftBear left, heading N.
  24. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  25. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  26. 300 ftBear left, heading NE.
  27. 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  28. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  29. 450 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  30. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  31. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  32. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  33. 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading S.
  34. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  35. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  36. 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
  37. 0.7 miBear right, heading SW.
  38. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  39. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  40. 400 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
  41. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  42. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  43. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  44. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  45. 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  46. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/medicine-lake-regional-trail-out-back-16-km-8bb6

Trail surface

52% paved32% grass11% gravel4% dirt1% boardwalk

Weather

OvercastTemperature 66°F44°
Precip1%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity67%
Rained 0.6″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 7:02 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:13 PM
Wed 67°46°
Thu 64°52° 62%
Fri 69°57°
Sat 66°60° 69%
Sun 67°60° 23%
Mon 74°57° 30%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 5:06 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:16 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Osseo, Minnesota