AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

John Pat Dorrian Trail

2.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 52 min

John Pat Dorrian Trail is a 2.6-mile out-and-back near Des Moines, IA. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi781 – 804 ft3.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.57819, -93.61254
Nearest town Des Moines, IA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

John Pat Dorrian Trail

2.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 52 min

Elevation 780–803 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 41.57819, -93.61254

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Transit-accessible: W MLK Jr Pkwy & SW 2nd St stop 609 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Southwest 1st Street Bridge, heading NW.
  4. 500 ftContinue straight onto Meredith Trail, heading NW.
  5. 0.2 miSharp right onto Martin Luther King Junior Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miBear right onto John Pat Dorrian Trail, heading SE.
  7. 0.8 miContinue straight onto John Pat Dorrian Trail Service Spur, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto John Pat Dorrian Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.1 miReach John Pat Dorrian Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto John Pat Dorrian Trail Service Spur, heading E.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto John Pat Dorrian Trail, heading E.
  12. 0.8 miBear left onto Martin Luther King Junior Trail, heading NW.
  13. 0.1 miSharp left onto Meredith Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Southwest 1st Street Bridge, heading S.
  15. 500 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  16. 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/john-pat-dorrian-trail-out-back-4-km-3378

Trail surface

92% paved8% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~25 min). Leave by 6:30 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: W MLK Jr Pkwy & SW 2nd St stop 609 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Des Moines, Iowa