AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Elwood the Gnome & Lake Helen via Robert Paul Daley Pathway

5.8 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 1 hr 59 min

Elwood the Gnome & Lake Helen via Robert Paul Daley Pathway is a 5.8-mile out-and-back near Ontario, IA. The route passes Lake Helen before reaching Elwood the Gnome at the turnaround, 2.9 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 mi909 – 1,024 ft6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.01946, -93.69074
Nearest town Ontario, IA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Elwood the Gnome & Lake Helen via Robert Paul Daley Pathway

5.8 mi · ▲ 107 ft · 1 hr 59 min

Elevation 909–1,025 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 42.01946, -93.69074

Weather Sep 20: Light drizzle, high 65°F / low 61° · precip 44% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Transit-accessible: Mortensen Road at Lawrence Avenue Westbound stop 584 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 350 ftBear right onto Robert Paul Daley Pathway, heading NE.
  3. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  4. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  6. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  7. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 1.4 miPass Lake Helen.
  10. 450 ftPass Elwood the Gnome.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 450 ftReach Elwood the Gnome, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  14. 1.7 miBear right, heading W.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  16. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  17. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 0.6 miBear left, heading W.
  20. 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/elwood-the-gnome-lake-helen-out-back-3-lakes-9-km-c209

Trail surface

79% paved21% unspecified

Weather

Light drizzleTemperature 65°F61°
Precip44%Wind11 mphUV1Humidity92%
Rained 0.2″ 3 days ago (1.7″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°55° 12 AM: 8% rain1 AM: 13% rain2 AM: 21% rain3 AM: 44% rain4 AM: 28% rain5 AM: 16% rain6 AM: 19% rain7 AM: 15% rain8 AM: 16% rain9 AM: 18% rain10 AM: 14% rain11 AM: 13% rain12 PM: 17% rain1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 3% rain3 PM: 6% rain4 PM: 8% rain5 PM: 9% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 9% rain8 PM: 9% rain9 PM: 8% rain10 PM: 9% rain11 PM: 9% rain
Sunrise 7:01 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:17 PM
Mon 60°56° 56%
Tue 57°50° 16%
Wed 68°46°
Thu 57°55°
Fri 59°56° 25%
Sat 74°59° 37%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 6:55 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:35 PM — 10 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Mortensen Road at Lawrence Avenue Westbound stop 584 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Ontario, Iowa