Martin Luther King Junior Trail
6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 2 hr 2 min
Martin Luther King Junior Trail is a 6-mile out-and-back near Des Moines, IA. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Martin Luther King Junior Trail
6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 2 hr 2 min
Elevation 780–825 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 41.58264, -93.61891
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:13 PM
Transit-accessible: W MLK Jr Pkwy / SW 2nd St (Far-Side) stop 54 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Meredith Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Martin Luther King Junior Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Cohen Park Walking Loop, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Martin Luther King Junior Trail, heading E.
- 2.2 miReach Martin Luther King Junior Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.2 miContinue straight onto Cohen Park Walking Loop, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Martin Luther King Junior Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Meredith Trail, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~65 min). Leave by 5:48 PM for the 7:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:34 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: W MLK Jr Pkwy / SW 2nd St (Far-Side) stop 54 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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