Great Western Trail
12.8 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Great Western Trail is a 12.8-mile out-and-back in Brown's Woods near Valley Junction, IA. It is mostly level, with 188 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Great Western Trail
12.8 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Elevation 804–968 ft
Out & Back · Brown's Woods
Trailhead: 41.54178, -93.70876
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:14 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Great Western Trail, heading E.
- 4.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 4.3 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading N.
- 1.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~27 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Great Western Trail 12.5 mi · ▲ 188 ft
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