Prairie Oaks Trail
7.9 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 2 hr 40 min
Prairie Oaks Trail is a 7.9-mile out-and-back in Sunshine Park near Thompson Heights, MN. It is mostly level, with 80 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Prairie Oaks Trail
7.9 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 2 hr 40 min
Elevation 870–911 ft
Out & Back · Sunshine Park
Trailhead: 45.19020, -93.30946
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Transit-accessible: Hanson Blvd stop 74 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Prairie Oaks Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 500 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 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 0.3 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:46 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 6 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Hanson Blvd stop 74 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Prairie Oaks Trail 7.9 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 3.7 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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