Prairie Oaks Trail
8.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 57 min
Prairie Oaks Trail is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Sunshine Park near Thompson Heights, MN. It is mostly level, with 27 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
8.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 57 min
Elevation 859–911 ft
Out & Back · Sunshine Park
Trailhead: 45.19705, -93.32530
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:13 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 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 SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 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 SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 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 E.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left, 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 1.2 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Prairie Oaks Trail 8.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Prairie Oaks Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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