AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Riverfront Crossings Park

Ralston Creek & Clear Creek Trail via Highway 1 Trail

9.9 mi · ▲ 352 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Ralston Creek & Clear Creek Trail via Highway 1 Trail is a 9.9-mile out-and-back in Riverfront Crossings Park near Iowa City, IA. The route reaches Ralston Creek. It climbs 352 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi630 – 761 ft12.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.64645, -91.53554
Nearest town Iowa City, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Ralston Creek & Clear Creek Trail via Highway 1 Trail

9.9 mi · ▲ 352 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Elevation 629–760 ft

Out & Back · Riverfront Crossings Park

Trailhead: 41.64645, -91.53554

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:54 AM · sunset 7:05 PM

Transit-accessible: Gilbert St @ Hills Bank stop 293 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Ralston Creek.
  3. 100 ftSharp right onto Iowa River Corridor Trail, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  5. 300 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  7. 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  10. 250 ftTurn right, heading W.
  11. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Highway 1 Trail, heading NE.
  13. 400 ftBear right, heading W.
  14. 0.9 miTurn left, heading W.
  15. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  17. 0.8 miTurn left, heading W.
  18. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  19. 0.3 miTurn right onto Willow Creek Trail, heading W.
  20. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading N.
  26. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  27. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  28. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  29. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  30. 200 ftBear right, heading N.
  31. 50 ftReach Ralston Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  32. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  33. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  34. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  35. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  36. 0.9 miTurn right, heading E.
  37. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  38. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  39. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  40. 150 ftTurn right onto Willow Creek Trail, heading E.
  41. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  42. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  43. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  44. 0.8 miBear left, heading S.
  45. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  46. 0.5 miTurn right onto Highway 1 Trail, heading S.
  47. 1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  48. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  49. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  50. 150 ftBear right onto Iowa River Corridor Trail, heading NE.
  51. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  52. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  53. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  54. 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  55. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  56. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  57. 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/ralston-creek-clear-creek-trail-out-back

Trail surface

67% paved33% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:54 AMSunset 7:05 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~56 min). Leave by 5:49 PM for the 7:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:15 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Gilbert St @ Hills Bank stop 293 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Iowa City, Iowa