AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Sac and Fox Trail City Park

Ephemeral Pond–Ash, 3 sights

12.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 14 min

Ephemeral Pond–Ash, 3 sights is a 12.7-mile out-and-back in Sac and Fox Trail City Park near Otis, IA. The route reaches Ephemeral Pond. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi699 – 738 ft13.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sac & Fox Trail 41.94769, -91.62126
Nearest town Otis, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Ephemeral Pond–Ash, 3 sights

12.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 14 min

Elevation 698–739 ft

Out & Back · Sac and Fox Trail City Park

Trailhead: Sac & Fox Trail · 41.94769, -91.62126

Weather Sep 20: Heavy rain, high 70°F / low 59° · precip 93% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:53 AM · sunset 7:09 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 1.3 miContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading NE.
  3. 0.7 miBear right onto Post derecho Reroute of Ash, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftBear left onto Ash, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miPass Ephemeral Pond.
  6. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading E.
  7. 450 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 0.3 miBear left onto Maple, heading NW.
  9. 250 ftBear right onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading N.
  10. 500 ftContinue straight onto Maple, heading NW.
  11. 100 ftContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.3 miBear right onto Maple, heading N.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading N.
  14. 3.2 miReach Ephemeral Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 3.2 miContinue straight onto Maple, heading S.
  16. 50 ftBear left onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Maple, heading NW.
  18. 150 ftContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading NW.
  19. 450 ftBear left onto Maple, heading SW.
  20. 250 ftBear right onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading S.
  21. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  22. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Ash, heading SE.
  23. 150 ftBear right onto Post derecho Reroute of Ash, heading S.
  24. 100 ftBear left, heading SE.
  25. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Sac & Fox Trail, heading SW.
  26. 1.2 miArrive 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/ephemeral-pond-ephemeral-pond-out-back-4-sights-20-km

Trail surface

50% gravel2% dirt48% unspecified

Weather

Heavy rainTemperature 70°F59°
Precip93%Wind10 mphUV1Humidity86%
Rained 0.9″ yesterday (3.9″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°55° 12 AM: 50% rain1 AM: 56% rain2 AM: 88% rain3 AM: 93% rain4 AM: 92% rain5 AM: 88% rain6 AM: 84% rain7 AM: 74% rain8 AM: 51% rain9 AM: 35% rain10 AM: 19% rain11 AM: 21% rain12 PM: 11% rain1 PM: 5% rain2 PM: 1% rain3 PM: 2% rain4 PM: 2% rain5 PM: 7% rain6 PM: 4% rain7 PM: 1% rain8 PM: 1% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 2% rain11 PM: 2% rain
Sunrise 6:53 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:09 PM
Mon 60°55° 34%
Tue 57°49° 40%
Wed 67°46°
Thu 67°52°
Fri 67°56°
Sat 68°56° 17%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:40 PM for the 7:09 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:33 PM — 4 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Sac & Fox Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Otis, Iowa