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Great Northern Trail
4.3 ★★★★☆ 3 Google reviews · Running trail in Elk River, Minnesota · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Great Northern Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Great Northern Trail
“The Great Northern Trail is a scenic 4.”
“The five concrete mile markers along the Great Northern Trail were handcrafted and installed by my son, Taylor Hecker, as part of his Eagle Scout project in 2013.”
As a long-time park reviewer and resident of Elk River, I take pride in the Great Northern Trail. The five concrete mile markers along the Great Northern Trail were handcrafted and installed by my son, Taylor Hecker, as part of his Eagle Scout project in 2013.
Ran the whole trail, plenty of bathrooms scattered throughout. Very nicely taken care of.
Trail conditions & character
“The five concrete mile markers along the Great Northern Trail were handcrafted and installed by my son, Taylor Hecker, as part of his Eagle Scout project in 2013.”
“The five concrete mile markers along the Great Northern Trail were handcrafted and installed by my son, Taylor Hecker, as part of his Eagle Scout project in 2013.”
Plan your run at Great Northern Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websiteelkrivermn.gov
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Elk River
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Woodland Trails Regional Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 311 reviews
Hilly area, the park features paved and unpaved trails for hiking, biking and skiing.
William H. Houlton Conservation Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 78 reviews
Ecological park with kid-friendly hikes, and trails through woods and along the Mississippi and Elk rivers.
Hillside Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 230 reviews
Park featuring 6 miles of challenging mountain biking trails through an oak forest.
