Neal Smith Trail
8.6 mi · ▲ 239 ft · 2 hr 59 min
Neal Smith Trail is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Camp Dodge, IA. It is mostly level, with 239 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Neal Smith Trail
8.6 mi · ▲ 239 ft · 2 hr 59 min
Elevation 795–947 ft
Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project
Trailhead: 41.69982, -93.67270
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Neal Smith Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Low Line, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Top Shelf, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 350 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Low Line, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Neal Smith Trail, heading SW.
- 1.2 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 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 3.0 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 5:39 PM for the 7:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Neal Smith Trail 3.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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