Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Snail Lake–Grass Lake, 6 lakes

13.4 mi · ▲ 187 ft · 4 hr 34 min

Snail Lake–Grass Lake, 6 lakes is a 13.4-mile out-and-back in Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park near Lake Shore Park, MN. The route passes Goose Lake, Birch Lake, Gilfillan Lake and 2 more before reaching Snail Lake at the turnaround, 6.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 187 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi879 – 968 ft14.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.07348, -93.01400
Nearest town Lake Shore Park, MN

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Snail Lake–Grass Lake, 6 lakes

13.4 mi · ▲ 187 ft · 4 hr 34 min

Elevation 880–970 ft

Out & Back · Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 45.07348, -93.01400

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:13 PM

Transit-accessible: Lake (Old White Bear) stop 235 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftPass Goose Lake.
  3. 300 ftBear right onto Mark Sather Trail, heading NW.
  4. 300 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 1 miPass Birch Lake.
  10. 2.1 miPass Gilfillan Lake.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  12. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  13. 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  15. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  16. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  17. 0.3 miPass Grass Lake.
  18. 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
  19. 450 ftSharp left, heading W.
  20. 0.3 miPass Vadnais - Snail Lakes Regional Park Beach.
  21. 100 ftPass Snail Lake.
  22. 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
  23. 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 0.1 miReach Snail Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  26. 100 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  27. 0.5 miSharp right, heading NE.
  28. 450 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  29. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
  30. 1 miTurn left, heading E.
  31. 350 ftBear right, heading E.
  32. 100 ftSharp left, heading E.
  33. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  34. 0.8 miTurn right, heading NW.
  35. 3.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  36. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  37. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  38. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  39. 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

99% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:59 AMSunset 7:13 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 6:44 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM — 5 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lake (Old White Bear) stop 235 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead