Beaver Creek Natural Resources Area Beach–Neal Smith Trail, 3 sights
15.8 mi · ▲ 195 ft · 5 hr 22 min
Beaver Creek Natural Resources Area Beach–Neal Smith Trail, 3 sights is a 15.8-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Camp Dodge, IA. The route reaches Beaver Creek Natural Resources Area Beach at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It is mostly level, with 195 ft of elevation gain. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Beaver Creek Natural Resources Area Beach–Neal Smith Trail, 3 sights
15.8 mi · ▲ 195 ft · 5 hr 22 min
Elevation 795–948 ft
Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project
Trailhead: 41.72399, -93.66823
Weather Sep 21: Drizzle, high 62°F / low 56° · precip 40% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 400 ftBear left onto Neal Smith Trail, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Low Line, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Top Shelf, heading W.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Covid Cut, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading S.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Sycamore Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Lake Loop, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading S.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Low Line, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sycamore Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sycamore Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Trestle to Trestle Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Beaver Creek Natural Resources Area Beach, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 1 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Sycamore Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sycamore Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Low Line, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading E.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Lake Loop, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sycamore Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Top Shelf, heading N.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Low Line, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Neal Smith Trail, heading NW.
- 1.2 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1 miBear right, heading E.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 450 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:55 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:15 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:43 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Neal Smith Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Neal Smith Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 81 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Camp Dodge, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Camp Dodge, Iowa