Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Viewpoint
8.6 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 2 hr 55 min
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Viewpoint is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Staring Lake Park near Barden, MN. The route reaches Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 107 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Viewpoint
8.6 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 2 hr 55 min
Elevation 794–904 ft
Out & Back · Staring Lake Park
Trailhead: 44.82135, -93.43040
Weather Sep 23: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading E.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 400 ftReach Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 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 2.5 mi in (~63 min). Leave by 5:48 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:26 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 16 mi · ▲ 439 ft
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 15.9 mi · ▲ 412 ft
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 14.7 mi · ▲ 299 ft
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 14.7 mi · ▲ 299 ft
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 14.5 mi · ▲ 330 ft
- Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail 14.3 mi · ▲ 304 ft
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