Elm Creek Park Reserve

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

10.3 mi · ▲ 257 ft · 3 hr 34 min

Medicine Lake Regional Trail is a 10.3-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It climbs 257 ft. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 925 ft11.1 mi

Getting there

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

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Medicine Lake Regional Trail

10.3 mi · ▲ 257 ft · 3 hr 34 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. 350 ftSharp left, heading E.
  11. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  12. 0.9 miTurn 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 NW.
  16. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  19. 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  20. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  21. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  22. 1.8 miBear right, heading E.
  23. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  24. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  25. 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  26. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  27. 450 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  28. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  30. 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  31. 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading S.
  32. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  34. 0.9 miBear right, heading S.
  35. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  36. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  37. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  38. 400 ftSharp right onto Medicine Lake Regional Trail, heading S.
  39. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  40. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  41. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  42. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  43. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  44. 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

44% grass37% paved10% gravel9% dirt

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 4.5 mi in (~112 min). Leave by 5:01 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:21 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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