Neal Smith Trail
11.4 mi · ▲ 243 ft · 3 hr 55 min
Neal Smith Trail is an 11.4-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Lovington, IA. It is mostly level, with 243 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Neal Smith Trail
11.4 mi · ▲ 243 ft · 3 hr 55 min
Elevation 795–947 ft
Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project
Trailhead: 41.64946, -93.65382
Weather Sep 22: Light drizzle, high 59°F / low 56° · precip 23% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:14 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Neal Smith Trail, heading W.
- 2.9 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Low Line, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Top Shelf, heading S.
- 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 S.
- 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 E.
- 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 left onto Neal Smith Trail, heading E.
- 2.8 miArrive 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 4.4 mi in (~110 min). Leave by 5:04 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:15 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Neal Smith Trail 6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 6.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Lovington, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Lovington, Iowa