AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Battle Creek Regional Park

Sam Morgan Regional Viewpoint–Swimming Pond, 5 sights

11.1 mi · ▲ 908 ft · 4 hr 9 min

Sam Morgan Regional Viewpoint–Swimming Pond, 5 sights is an 11.1-mile out-and-back in Battle Creek Regional Park near Maplewood, MN. The route passes Duck Pond and Swimming Pond before reaching Sam Morgan Regional Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 908 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi705 – 1,004 ft12.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 44.96235, -93.00024
Nearest town Maplewood, MN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sam Morgan Regional Viewpoint–Swimming Pond, 5 sights

11.1 mi · ▲ 908 ft · 4 hr 9 min

Elevation 706–1,004 ft

Out & Back · Battle Creek Regional Park

Trailhead: 44.96235, -93.00024

Weather Sep 24: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Transit-accessible: Bush Av stop 338 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  8. 0.8 miPass Duck Pond.
  9. 0.1 miPass Swimming Pond.
  10. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  11. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  13. 0.3 miBear left, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Drop into Pine, heading SW.
  15. 350 ftBear right onto Fern Gully, heading W.
  16. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  17. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  18. 250 ftBear right onto Enchanted Forest, heading W.
  19. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  20. 100 ftSharp right, heading W.
  21. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sidewinder, heading N.
  23. 300 ftTurn right, heading W.
  24. 150 ftContinue straight onto Connector, heading SW.
  25. 0.2 miSharp left onto Meadow Loop, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftTurn right onto Picnic Loop, heading NW.
  27. 50 ftBear left onto The Hump, heading NW.
  28. 0.2 miSharp right onto Connector, heading S.
  29. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  30. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  31. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  32. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  33. 0.8 miBear right, heading N.
  34. 0.5 miSharp right, heading NW.
  35. 150 ftTurn right onto Sam Morgan Regional Trail, heading NW.
  36. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  37. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  38. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  39. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  40. 350 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  41. 450 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  42. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  43. 100 ftReach Sam Morgan Regional Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  44. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  45. 0.3 miSharp left, heading W.
  46. 450 ftSharp right, heading S.
  47. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  48. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  49. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  50. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  51. 150 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  52. 0.5 miBear left, heading W.
  53. 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  54. 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
  55. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  56. 100 ftTurn right onto Connector, heading SE.
  57. 200 ftSharp left onto The Hump, heading SE.
  58. 0.2 miBear right onto Picnic Loop, heading SE.
  59. 50 ftTurn left onto Meadow Loop, heading SE.
  60. 50 ftSharp right onto Connector, heading SE.
  61. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  62. 250 ftContinue straight onto Sidewinder, heading S.
  63. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  64. 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
  65. 50 ftContinue straight onto Enchanted Forest, heading E.
  66. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  67. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  68. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  69. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  70. 100 ftContinue straight onto Fern Gully, heading S.
  71. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  72. 150 ftContinue straight onto Drop into Pine, heading SW.
  73. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  74. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  75. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  76. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  77. 1.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  78. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  79. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  80. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  81. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  82. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  83. 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/swimming-pond-out-back

Trail surface

58% paved35% dirt7% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 6:43 PM for the 7:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:28 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Bush Av stop 338 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Maplewood, Minnesota