AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Carver Park Reserve

Schutz Lake–Lake Virginia, 8 lakes

15.6 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 5 hr 14 min

Schutz Lake–Lake Virginia, 8 lakes is a 15.6-mile out-and-back in Carver Park Reserve near Excelsior, MN. The route passes Lake Virginia, Tamarack Lake, Schutz Lake and 2 more before reaching Life in a Cattail Marsh at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 81 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Getting there

Trailhead: Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail 44.90233, -93.56865
Nearest town Excelsior, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Schutz Lake–Lake Virginia, 8 lakes

15.6 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 5 hr 14 min

Out & Back · Carver Park Reserve

Trailhead: Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail · 44.90233, -93.56865

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:16 PM

Transit-accessible: 3 St stop 80 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 200 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail, heading NW.
  3. 3.1 miPass Lake Virginia.
  4. 0.9 miPass Tamarack Lake.
  5. 0.2 miPass Schutz Lake.
  6. 0.6 miTurn right onto Baker-Carver Regional Trail, heading W.
  7. 2.1 miPass Dragon Fly Pond.
  8. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Lake Trail, heading W.
  9. 150 ftPass Crosby Lake.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right onto Tamarack Trail, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miPass Life in a Cattail Marsh.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Acorn Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.1 miReach Schutz Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  17. 50 ftTurn right onto Tamarack Trail, heading N.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left onto Lake Trail, heading S.
  19. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Baker-Carver Regional Trail, heading W.
  20. 2.5 miTurn left onto Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail, heading E.
  21. 4.7 miArrive 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/schutz-lake-lake-virginia-out-back-10-lakes-25-km-38d6

Trail surface

78% gravel14% paved7% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:01 AMSunset 7:16 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 3 St stop 80 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Excelsior, Minnesota