Medicine Lake Regional Trail
10.6 mi · ▲ 193 ft · 3 hr 38 min
Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 10.6-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It is mostly level, with 193 ft of elevation gain. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Medicine Lake Regional Trail
10.6 mi · ▲ 193 ft · 3 hr 38 min
Elevation 856–932 ft
Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve
Trailhead: 45.12103, -93.44921
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 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 NW.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 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 E.
- 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.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~117 min). Leave by 4:58 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:28 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Medicine Lake Regional Trail 10.2 mi · ▲ 273 ft
- Fish Lake 3.2 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Elm Creek Swim Pond & Medicine Lake Regional Trail 4 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Rice Lake Loop via Medicine Lake Regional Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 55 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Osseo, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Osseo, Minnesota