Gay Lea Wilson Trail
9 mi · ▲ 138 ft · 3 hr 4 min
Gay Lea Wilson Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back near Altoona, IA. It is mostly level, with 138 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Gay Lea Wilson Trail
9 mi · ▲ 138 ft · 3 hr 4 min
Elevation 840–951 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 41.64184, -93.46498
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading N.
- 3 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 S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 3.6 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:55 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:15 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:42 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Youngstown Bike Trail via Gay Lea Wilson Trail 12.3 mi · ▲ 281 ft
- Gay Lea Wilson Trail 5.3 mi · ▲ 54 ft
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Hikes near Altoona, Iowa