St. Olaf Natural Lands–Big Pond, 10 lakes
4.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 1 hr 27 min
St. Olaf Natural Lands–Big Pond, 10 lakes is a 4.3-mile out-and-back near Northfield, MN. The route passes Baseball Pond, St. Olaf Natural Lands, Soccer Pond and 4 more. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain, and mostly grass. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
St. Olaf Natural Lands–Big Pond, 10 lakes
4.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 1 hr 27 min
Elevation 968–1,014 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 44.47133, -93.17891
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM
Transit-accessible: Northfield Manor stop 251 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Baseball Pond.
- 50 ftPass St. Olaf Natural Lands.
- 350 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Baseball Pond Loop, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Soccer Pond.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Knoll Loop, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Prairie Loop, heading W.
- 1.1 miPass Big Pond.
- 50 ftPass West Coyote Pond.
- 50 ftPass East Coyote Pond.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Big Pond Loop, heading SE.
- 500 ftPass Woodland Pond.
- 200 ftBear left onto Windmill Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miReach St. Olaf Natural Lands, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Big Pond Loop, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Prairie Loop, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Knoll Loop, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Baseball Pond Loop, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 200 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 0.1 miArrive 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 1.0 mi in (~26 min). Leave by 6:20 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Northfield Manor stop 251 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- St. Olaf Natural Lands–St. Olaf Natural Lands Forest Restoration, 17 sights 13.2 mi · ▲ 166 ft
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