HomeMinnesotaElk River › Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead

Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 13 Google reviews · Running trail in Elk River, Minnesota · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Crushed gravel
Loop distance
Not reported
Shape
Loop
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead'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.

Crushed gravelLoop

What runners say about Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (13 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

Great little trail for walking a dog or kids- would recommend bug spray- since there is a little pond/swamp on one side though it's doable without as long as you don't stop walking or don't mind the risk of a few mosquito bites.

★★★★★ — Sug , Jun 2023

The trail is gravel lined and has two loops. One loop is attached to another that you can take over the road and into its own loop and then come back or you can just choose to do the first loop. The first loop has two benches the second loop does not.

★★★★☆ — Karin , Nov 2022

A great little hiking spot. Around 40 acres of Maple-Basswood forest, wetlands, prairie. The western edge skirts alongside Tibbit’s Brook. There are two interconnected loops, that together add up to just under a mile. But the trail and scenery is so varied that multiple loops are fun.

★★★★★ — Marcus , Mar 2020

Nice little trail with a few benches to stop and rest. Mosquitos galore when we where there in May. Bring bug spray.

★★★★☆ — Nathan , May 2023

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 13 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🔁 Loop trail 6 mentions

“One loop is attached to another that you can take over the road and into its own loop and then come back or you can just choose to do the first loop.”

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🪨 Crushed gravel / limestone 3 mentions

“The side with the little library is gravel, the other side is dirt.”

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Plan your run at Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
  • 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.
  • Websitelivoniatownship.org
  • Phone+1 763-856-5640

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

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Sugarbush Preserve Trailhead

12889 232nd Ave NW, Elk River, MN 55330

Get directions

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.

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Hilly area, the park features paved and unpaved trails for hiking, biking and skiing.

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Great Northern Trail

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PavedScenic

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Sand Dunes State Forest

4.3 ★★★★☆ 395 reviews

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ScenicDog-friendly

Sprawling pine & oak savanna state forest & prairie with hiking & horse riding trails & campgrounds.

5.6 miles away

William H. Houlton Conservation Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 78 reviews

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LoopScenicDog-friendly

Ecological park with kid-friendly hikes, and trails through woods and along the Mississippi and Elk rivers.

6.1 miles away

Hillside Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 230 reviews

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Natural surface

Park featuring 6 miles of challenging mountain biking trails through an oak forest.

6.8 miles away

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Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.