Valley Trail
7.4 mi · ▲ 163 ft · 2 hr 33 min
Valley Trail is a 7.4-mile out-and-back in Elm Creek Park Reserve near Osseo, MN. It is mostly level, with 163 ft of elevation gain. It scores 15/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Valley Trail
7.4 mi · ▲ 163 ft · 2 hr 33 min
Elevation 856–925 ft
Out & Back · Elm Creek Park Reserve
Trailhead: 45.13520, -93.44218
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:59 AM · sunset 7:17 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Valley Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Monarch Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
- 1.4 miBear right, heading N.
- 300 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Monarch Long Loop, heading S.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 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 3.1 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 5:40 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Valley Trail 7.9 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- West Arbor Lake–Teal Lake, 3 lakes 6.2 mi · ▲ 114 ft
- Valley Trail 3 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mud Lake–Goose Lake Loop, 5 lakes 3.7 mi · ▲ 113 ft
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Hikes near Osseo, Minnesota