AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Sunshine Park

Prairie Oaks Trail

8.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Prairie Oaks Trail is an 8.5-mile out-and-back in Sunshine Park near Andover, MN. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi856 – 912 ft10.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.24737, -93.31361
Nearest town Andover, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Prairie Oaks Trail

8.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Elevation 856–911 ft

Out & Back · Sunshine Park

Trailhead: 45.24737, -93.31361

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Transit-accessible: Hanson Blvd stop 555 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  3. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  8. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  11. 500 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  12. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  13. 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  16. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Prairie Oaks Trail, heading S.
  17. 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  19. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  20. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  21. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  22. 150 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  23. 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  25. 100 ftBear right, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 1.7 miTurn left, heading N.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  30. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  31. 0.9 miTurn right, heading N.
  32. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  33. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  34. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  35. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  36. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  37. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  39. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  40. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  41. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  42. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/prairie-oaks-trail-out-back-14-km-d63d

Trail surface

100% paved

Weather

Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.0 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 5:42 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Hanson Blvd stop 555 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Andover, Minnesota