Upper Arboretum–Lower Arboretum, 6 groves is a 5.6-mile out-and-back near Waterford, MN. The route passes Retention Pond, Lower Arboretum, Lilac Hill and 3 more. It is mostly level, with 192 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Arboretum–Lower Arboretum, 6 groves
5.6 mi · ▲ 192 ft · 1 hr 58 min
Elevation 899–997 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 44.47482, -93.13147
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:06 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miPass Retention Pond.
- 50 ftPass Lower Arboretum.
- 50 ftPass Lilac Hill.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miPass Upper Lyman Lake.
- 50 ftPass Lower Lyman Lake.
- 0.1 miPass Upper Arboretum.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miReach Upper Arboretum, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 200 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Carleton Arboretum Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right, 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 2.6 mi in (~66 min). Leave by 5:40 PM for the 7:06 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:27 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Lower Arboretum–Lilac Hill, 6 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Turtle Pond 1.9 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Oxbow Pond via Carleton Arboretum Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 53 ft
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