AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Water Works Park

Bill Riley Trail & Great Western Connector

6.2 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 5 min

Bill Riley Trail & Great Western Connector is a 6.2-mile out-and-back in Water Works Park near Valley Junction, IA. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi787 – 830 ft6.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Bill Riley Trail 41.57614, -93.68336
Nearest town Valley Junction, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bill Riley Trail & Great Western Connector

6.2 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 2 hr 5 min

Elevation 788–829 ft

Out & Back · Water Works Park

Trailhead: Bill Riley Trail · 41.57614, -93.68336

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Bill Riley Trail, heading S.
  2. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hillside Mountain Bike Trail, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Bill Riley Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Rollercoaster Mountain Bike Trail, heading S.
  5. 250 ftBear right onto Bill Riley Trail, heading E.
  6. 0.7 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 1 miContinue straight onto Great Western Connector, heading S.
  8. 1.1 miTurn right onto Great Western Trail, heading SW.
  9. 0.1 miReach Bill Riley Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.1 miTurn left onto Great Western Connector, heading S.
  11. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Bill Riley Trail, heading E.
  12. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  14. 1.2 miBear left onto Rollercoaster Mountain Bike Trail, heading NW.
  15. 300 ftContinue straight onto Bill Riley Trail, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hillside Mountain Bike Trail, heading NW.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Bill Riley Trail, heading NW.
  18. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/bill-riley-trail-great-western-connector-out-back-10-km-f6b8

Trail surface

48% paved34% gravel17% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:01 AMSunset 7:17 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 6:47 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:43 PM — 2 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Bill Riley Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Valley Junction, Iowa