Gay Lea Wilson Trail
7.2 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 2 hr 28 min
Gay Lea Wilson Trail is a 7.2-mile out-and-back near Altoona, IA. It is mostly level, with 136 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi840 – 925 ft7.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.64389, -93.48473
Nearest town Altoona, IA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Gay Lea Wilson Trail
7.2 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 2 hr 28 min
Elevation 840–924 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 41.64389, -93.48473
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:00 AM · sunset 7:16 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading S.
- 2.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 300 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 3.4 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 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 surface
78% paved22% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:00 AMSunset 7:16 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~63 min). Leave by 5:53 PM for the 7:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Youngstown Bike Trail & Youngstown Trail via Gay Lea Wilson Trail 11.5 mi · ▲ 253 ft
- Gay Lea Wilson Trail 7 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Copper Creek Lake via Gay Lea Wilson Trail 9.5 mi · ▲ 82 ft
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Hikes near Altoona, Iowa