River Bend Nature Center
Upper Pond–Prairie Pond, 4 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 109 ft · 1 hr 33 min
Upper Pond–Prairie Pond, 4 sights is a 4.5-mile out-and-back in River Bend Nature Center near Faribault, MN. The route passes Upper Pond before reaching Prairie Pond at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 109 ft of elevation gain. It scores 33/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Pond–Prairie Pond, 4 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 109 ft · 1 hr 33 min
Elevation 982–1,070 ft
Out & Back · River Bend Nature Center
Trailhead: 44.27003, -93.27657
Weather Sep 25: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:07 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto River Bend Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Rabbit Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Teepee Tonka Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 450 ftPass Prairie Pond.
- 100 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach Upper Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Rabbit Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto River Bend Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.2 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 0.9 mi in (~23 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Straight River Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Straight River Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Straight River Trail 2.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- River Bend Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Straight River Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- River Bend Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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Hikes near Faribault, Minnesota