Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Minnesota Valley State Trail
15.7 mi · ▲ 217 ft · 5 hr 21 min
Minnesota Valley State Trail is a 15.7-mile out-and-back in Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Spring Lake, MN. It is mostly level, with 217 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 State Trail
15.7 mi · ▲ 217 ft · 5 hr 21 min
Elevation 722–976 ft
Out & Back · Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: 44.73249, -93.47715
Weather Sep 23: Overcast, high 69°F / low 47° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 1 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1 miTurn right onto Minnesota Valley State Trail, heading N.
- 2.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 2.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.8 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 0.4 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 6:42 PM for the 7:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:36 PM — 5 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Minnesota Valley State Trail 15.7 mi · ▲ 217 ft
- Tahpah to Scenic Heights Drainage Way Trail 15.2 mi · ▲ 215 ft
- Big Woods Regional Trail 14.6 mi · ▲ 242 ft
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