Minnesota · Hiking

Hillside Trail

Hillside TrailPhoto: U.S. Department of the Interior, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.4 mi
round trip
177 ft
climb
826 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Hillside Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Long Meadow Lake Unit Park, a park managed by a non-governmental organization in Minnesota. The trail is 0.86 miles long, and the round trip climbs about 177 feet from a start elevation of 770 feet to a high point of 826 feet. The route is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.27 miles in, where the grade reaches 11 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Minneapolis/St Paul airport weather station run to highs around 79°F in June and 83°F in July, with July lows near 65°F. The trip takes about half an hour, so plan on a quick outing. Hogback Ridge Trail is about 2.5 miles away, and the Scarlet Tanager Loop and Indigo Bunting Loop are each about 2.9 miles off. For winter, Pike Island Trail, a cross-country ski route, is about 2.8 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Hillside Trail

    Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      24° / 9°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / 13°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 25°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 38°

      11 wet

    5. May

      69° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      79° / 60°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 65°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 63°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 54°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 41°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 15°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minneapolis/St Paul Ap, MN, 1.8 mi away at 872 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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