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Hiking Trails Under 10 km in Minnesota

The directory currently contains 45 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Minnesota. Their average mapped distance is 3.6 km and average recorded ascent is 46 m (151 ft); the longest route in the set is 8.3 km.

This subset represents 74% of the 61 quality-checked routes in Minnesota. Its average distance is 3.6 km, compared with 40.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 46 m (151 ft), versus 187 m (614 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set has a mapped distance of 10 km or less; no fixed completion time is implied. Within this set, 31 routes (69%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 9 (20%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.8 km

Baltimore Oriole Loop

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Hogback Ridge Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

View from Hawk Ridge, Duluth, MN
Moderate

Hawk Ridge Trails

Minnesota · United States

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
256 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Willmar Walks

Minnesota · United States

Distance
7.0 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Waymarked route
Bloomington, Minnesota
Easy

Hogback Ridge Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Typical duration
28 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Long Meadow Lake Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Typical duration
1 hr 43 min
  • Lake
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Baltimore Oriole Loop

Minnesota · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
11 min
Easy

Bluff Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
Easy

Indigo Bunting Loop

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
51 m
Typical duration
40 min
The Saint Paul Companies building, or whatever it's called now, in downtown Saint Paul, as seen from my office. Morning light.
Easy

Saint Paul Skyway System

Minnesota · United States

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
82 m
Typical duration
1 hr 26 min
Easy

Scarlet Tanager Loop

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
34 m
Typical duration
26 min
Easy

The Gopher Way

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
32 min
Easy

Cascades Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

High Falls Trail - East

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
161 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
Easy

Lake Elmo Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Eagle Mountain Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
166 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

Lions Park Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
12 min
Moderate

Mount Rose Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
96 m
Typical duration
24 min
Historic Sugar Loaf Brewery Building with Sugar Loaf Bluff rising behind it in Winona, Minnesota.
Moderate

Sugar Loaf Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
133 m
Typical duration
25 min
Easy

Big Bluestem Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Typical duration
39 min
Easy

Brown's Pond Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
54 min
Easy

Burr Oak Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
36 min
Winter at Lake Elmo Park Reserve in Washington County, Minnesota
Easy

Eagle Point Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
Edina, Minnesota
Easy

Edina Promenade

Minnesota · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
12 min
Easy

Northern Lights Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
21 min
Easy

Pike Island Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.1 mi
Typical duration
1 hr 3 min
Moderate

Winchell Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
99 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
Moderate

Centennial Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
102 m
Typical duration
1 hr 3 min
The Superior Hiking Trail winds through Tettegouche State Park near the Baptism River on an autumn day in Illgen City, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota, United States, on 15 October 2015.
Easy

Tettegouche Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Typical duration
18 min
Easy

Hiking Club Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.1 mi
Typical duration
23 min
Easy

Cliff Fen Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Typical duration
35 min
  • Coastal
Moderate

Locator Lake Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Hogback Lupus Trail Loop

Minnesota · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
87 m
Typical duration
1 hr 41 min
  • Forest
Canoes at Lake Shumway, Savanna Portage State Park, Minnesota
Easy

Savanna Portage Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
7.1 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
39 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
Moderate

River Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • River
Moderate

Astrid Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
Moderate

Herriman Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
119 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
Easy

Big Moose Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
46 min
Easy

LaVallee Esker Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
28 min
Moderate

Voyageur Trek

Minnesota · United States

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
Easy

White Oak Way

Minnesota · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
7 min
Easy

Camp

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
28 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Hawk Ridge TrailsMinnesota5.5 km256 m1 hr 32 minModerateApril to October
Willmar WalksMinnesota7.0 km6 m1 hr 29 minEasyApril to October
Hogback Ridge TrailMinnesota2.2 km0 m28 minEasyApril to October
Long Meadow Lake TrailMinnesota8.3 km0 m1 hr 43 minModerateApril to October
Grand Rounds National Scenic BywayMinnesota1.6 km0 m19 minEasyApril to October
Baltimore Oriole LoopMinnesota0.8 km8 m11 minEasyApril to October
Bluff TrailMinnesota4.7 km56 m1 hr 4 minEasyApril to October
Flandrau State Park Hiking Club TrailMinnesota3.0 km60 m43 minEasyApril to October
Indigo Bunting LoopMinnesota2.8 km51 m40 minEasyApril to October
Saint Paul Skyway SystemMinnesota6.3 km82 m1 hr 26 minEasyApril to October

Willmar Walks, Hawk Ridge Trails, Hogback Ridge Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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