AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Water Works Park

Lime Basin–Greenwood Park Lagoon, 4 lakes

4.9 mi · ▲ 193 ft · 1 hr 44 min

Lime Basin–Greenwood Park Lagoon, 4 lakes is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in Water Works Park near West Des Moines, IA. The route passes Greenwood Park Lagoon and Maytag Reflecting Pool before reaching Lime Basin at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 193 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi794 – 942 ft5.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.58244, -93.68086
Nearest town West Des Moines, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lime Basin–Greenwood Park Lagoon, 4 lakes

4.9 mi · ▲ 193 ft · 1 hr 44 min

Elevation 793–941 ft

Out & Back · Water Works Park

Trailhead: 41.58244, -93.68086

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM

Transit-accessible: Grand Ave & Polk Blvd stop 280 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Greenwood Park Lagoon.
  3. 50 ftPass Maytag Reflecting Pool.
  4. 250 ftSharp left onto Rollercoaster Mountain Bike Trail, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miBear right onto Poolside Trail, heading SW.
  6. 0.5 miBear left onto Hillside Mountain Bike Trail, heading SW.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Bill Riley Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.9 miTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.9 miReach Lime Basin, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 1.8 miContinue straight onto Hillside Mountain Bike Trail, heading N.
  11. 50 ftBear right onto Poolside Trail, heading N.
  12. 0.5 miBear left onto Rollercoaster Mountain Bike Trail, heading E.
  13. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  14. 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/lime-basin-greenwood-park-lagoon-out-back-5-lakes-8-km

Trail surface

61% dirt37% paved2% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:01 AMSunset 7:17 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:41 PM — 4 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Grand Ave & Polk Blvd stop 280 m from the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near West Des Moines, Iowa