AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Elwood the Gnome–Lake Helen, 4 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 2 hr 59 min

Elwood the Gnome–Lake Helen, 4 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back near Ames, IA. The route passes Elwood the Gnome and Lake Helen. It is mostly level, with 108 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi896 – 1,024 ft10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.00953, -93.63940
Nearest town Ames, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Elwood the Gnome–Lake Helen, 4 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 2 hr 59 min

Elevation 894–1,024 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 42.00953, -93.63940

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

Transit-accessible: University Boulevard at Mortensen Parkway Southbound stop 255 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Elwood the Gnome.
  3. 50 ftPass Lake Helen.
  4. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  10. 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  13. 0.3 miTurn right onto Vet Med Trail, heading E.
  14. 0.9 miTurn left onto University Boulevard Trail, heading SW.
  15. 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
  16. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  17. 300 ftContinue straight onto Tedesco Connector Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 2.5 miReach Elwood the Gnome, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 2.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  21. 0.1 miContinue straight onto University Boulevard Trail, heading NE.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Vet Med Trail, heading N.
  25. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
  26. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  29. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  30. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  31. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  32. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  34. 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
  35. 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/lake-helen-lake-helen-out-back-5-sights-19-km

Trail surface

93% paved7% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.2 mi in (~82 min). Leave by 5:34 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: University Boulevard at Mortensen Parkway Southbound stop 255 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Ames, Iowa