Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
West Chaska Creek–East Chaska Creek, 4 lakes
4.6 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 1 hr 34 min
West Chaska Creek–East Chaska Creek, 4 lakes is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Jonathan, MN. The route passes East Chaska Creek, East Chaska Creek, Clay Hole and 2 more. It is mostly level, with 55 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Getting there
Directions
West Chaska Creek–East Chaska Creek, 4 lakes
4.6 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 1 hr 34 min
Out & Back · Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: 44.80666, -93.58117
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:16 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass East Chaska Creek.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miPass East Chaska Creek.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 1 miPass Clay Hole.
- 50 ftPass Clayhole Beach.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 250 ftPass West Chaska Creek.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach West Chaska Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Crystal Place West, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- East Chaska Creek–West Pond, 3 lakes 3.4 mi · ▲ 170 ft
- Clay Hole–East Chaska Creek, 3 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 28 ft
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