AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Helen & Skunk River Trail

4.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 29 min

Lake Helen & Skunk River Trail is a 4.4-mile out-and-back near Ames, IA. The route reaches Lake Helen at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi876 – 912 ft5.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Skunk River Trail 42.00535, -93.59772
Nearest town Ames, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Helen & Skunk River Trail

4.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 29 min

Elevation 876–911 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Skunk River Trail · 42.00535, -93.59772

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:15 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Skunk River Trail, heading E.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  3. 1.3 miBear left, heading W.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  8. 150 ftReach Lake Helen, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  13. 0.4 miBear right, heading SE.
  14. 1.5 miArrive 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-skunk-river-trail-out-back-7-km

Trail surface

96% paved4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:01 AMSunset 7:15 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Skunk River Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Ames, Iowa