AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Brookside Park

Ioway Creek–Elwood the Gnome, 6 lakes

6.1 mi · ▲ 134 ft · 2 hr 6 min

Ioway Creek–Elwood the Gnome, 6 lakes is a 6.1-mile out-and-back in Brookside Park near Ames, IA. The route passes Johnson Pond, Ioway Creek, Maple and 2 more before reaching Lake Helen at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 134 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi889 – 951 ft7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.04644, -93.64538
Nearest town Ames, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Ioway Creek–Elwood the Gnome, 6 lakes

6.1 mi · ▲ 134 ft · 2 hr 6 min

Elevation 889–952 ft

Out & Back · Brookside Park

Trailhead: 42.04644, -93.64538

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Transit-accessible: Stange Road at Bristol Drive Southbound stop 48 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Johnson Pond.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  4. 0.6 miPass Ioway Creek.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  6. 0.5 miTurn right, heading E.
  7. 450 ftBear right, heading S.
  8. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miPass Maple.
  12. 350 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  17. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftBear left onto University Boulevard Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  21. 0.7 miPass Lake Helen.
  22. 0.2 miPass Elwood the Gnome.
  23. 50 ftPass Lake Helen.
  24. 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
  25. 50 ftReach Ioway Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  26. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  27. 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  28. 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  31. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  33. 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
  34. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  35. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  36. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  37. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  38. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  39. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  40. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  41. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  42. 0.7 miTurn left, heading W.
  43. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/ioway-creek-elwood-the-gnome-out-back-7-lakes-10-km

Trail surface

87% paved7% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:01 AMSunset 7:17 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Stange Road at Bristol Drive Southbound stop 48 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Ames, Iowa