AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Swan Lake State Park

Swan Lake & Sauk Rail Trail

13.3 mi · ▲ 194 ft · 4 hr 32 min

Swan Lake & Sauk Rail Trail is a 13.3-mile out-and-back in Swan Lake State Park near Maple River, IA. The route passes Swan Lake before reaching Swan Lake at the turnaround, 6.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 194 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi1,224 – 1,326 ft13.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sauk Rail Trail 42.08957, -94.91722
Nearest town Maple River, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Swan Lake & Sauk Rail Trail

13.3 mi · ▲ 194 ft · 4 hr 32 min

Elevation 1,223–1,326 ft

Out & Back · Swan Lake State Park

Trailhead: Sauk Rail Trail · 42.08957, -94.91722

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

Bikes allowed on the whole route

  1. Start on Sauk Rail Trail, heading SE.
  2. 1.7 miTurn left, heading N.
  3. 3.8 miBear right, heading SW.
  4. 0.4 miPass Swan Lake.
  5. 0.8 miReach Swan Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 6.6 miArrive 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/swan-lake-swan-lake-out-back-4-sights

Trail surface

86% paved14% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:06 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.3 mi in (~133 min). Leave by 4:49 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Bikes allowed on the whole route

Hikes near Maple River, Iowa