Gay Lea Wilson Trail
9.5 mi · ▲ 135 ft · 3 hr 14 min
Gay Lea Wilson Trail is a 9.5-mile out-and-back near Altoona, IA. It is mostly level, with 135 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
9.5 mi · ▲ 135 ft · 3 hr 14 min
Elevation 840–960 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Gay Lea Wilson Trail · 41.65134, -93.46365
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Gay Lea Wilson Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miBear right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftBear right, heading S.
- 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.
- 3.4 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 6:52 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:32 PM — 10 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Gay Lea Wilson Trail Trailhead
- Gay Lea Wilson Trail 9.5 mi · ▲ 135 ft
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Hikes near Altoona, Iowa