Spring Lake & Rice Creek
4.9 mi · ▲ 84 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Spring Lake & Rice Creek is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in Rice Creek Trail West near Mounds View, MN. The route passes Spring Lake, Rice Creek and Rice Creek before reaching Rice Creek at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 84 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Spring Lake & Rice Creek
4.9 mi · ▲ 84 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 850–918 ft
Out & Back · Rice Creek Trail West
Trailhead: 45.10797, -93.21922
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Transit-accessible: Cr I stop 7 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Spring Lake.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.8 miPass Rice Creek.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Rice Creek.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass Rice Creek.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 450 ftReach Spring Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 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 0.8 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 6:33 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Cr I stop 7 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Spring Lake–Locke Lake, 3 lakes 6.8 mi · ▲ 79 ft
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