Riverfront Crossings Park

Eagle Tree & Ralston Creek via Iowa River Corridor Trail

8.4 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Eagle Tree & Ralston Creek via Iowa River Corridor Trail is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Riverfront Crossings Park near Iowa City, IA. The route passes Ralston Creek before reaching Eagle Tree at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 107 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi630 – 751 ft9.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.64322, -91.51138
Nearest town Iowa City, IA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Eagle Tree & Ralston Creek via Iowa River Corridor Trail

8.4 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Elevation 629–750 ft

Out & Back · Riverfront Crossings Park

Trailhead: 41.64322, -91.51138

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:53 AM · sunset 7:07 PM

Transit-accessible: Sycamore Mall stop 31 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 250 ftContinue straight onto Sycamore Greenway Trail, heading S.
  3. 1.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  5. 1.1 miTurn right onto Iowa River Corridor Trail, heading W.
  6. 1.2 miPass Ralston Creek.
  7. 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
  8. 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  10. 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
  11. 0.6 miReach Eagle Tree, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
  16. 350 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  17. 1.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  18. 1.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  19. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  20. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sycamore Greenway Trail, heading SE.
  21. 0.8 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

73% paved27% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:53 AMSunset 7:07 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~25 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 7:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Sycamore Mall stop 31 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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