AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Carney Marsh

Chautauqua Valley Trail via Gay Lea Wilson Trail

16.1 mi · ▲ 295 ft · 5 hr 31 min

Chautauqua Valley Trail via Gay Lea Wilson Trail is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Carney Marsh near Oralabor, IA. It climbs 295 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi866 – 968 ft17.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.71135, -93.58132
Nearest town Oralabor, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Chautauqua Valley Trail via Gay Lea Wilson Trail

16.1 mi · ▲ 295 ft · 5 hr 31 min

Elevation 866–969 ft

Out & Back · Carney Marsh

Trailhead: 41.71135, -93.58132

Weather Sep 22: Drizzle, high 59°F / low 55° · precip 22% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:13 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  4. 300 ftTurn left, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  8. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  9. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  10. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  11. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  13. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  14. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  16. 100 ftTurn left onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading W.
  17. 200 ftContinue straight onto High Trestle Trail, heading W.
  18. 200 ftContinue straight onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading N.
  19. 5.7 miSharp right onto Chautauqua Valley Trail, heading S.
  20. 1.5 miReach Chautauqua Valley Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 1.6 miSharp left onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading NE.
  22. 5.7 miContinue straight onto High Trestle Trail, heading N.
  23. 250 ftContinue straight onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading N.
  24. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  25. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  27. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  30. 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
  31. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  32. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  33. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  35. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  36. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  37. 300 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  38. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  39. 150 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/chautauqua-valley-trail-out-back-26-km

Trail surface

69% paved31% unspecified

Weather

DrizzleTemperature 59°F55°
Precip22%Wind9 mphUV2Humidity93%
Rained 0.2″ 2 days ago (1.4″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
65°50° 12 AM: 22% rain1 AM: 15% rain2 AM: 10% rain3 AM: 6% rain4 AM: 7% rain5 AM: 8% rain6 AM: 7% rain7 AM: 10% rain8 AM: 13% rain9 AM: 14% rain10 AM: 9% rain11 AM: 7% rain12 PM: 4% rain1 PM: 6% rain2 PM: 7% rain3 PM: 6% rain4 PM: 5% rain5 PM: 3% rain6 PM: 2% rain7 PM: 3% rain8 PM: 1% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:02 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:13 PM
Wed 64°54°
Thu 66°53° 20%
Fri 61°59° 35%
Sat 61°58° 62%
Sun 71°57° 28%
Mon 72°54° 27%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.7 mi in (~192 min). Leave by 3:41 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Oralabor, Iowa