North Tailwater

The Island & Howell Station Prairie Trail

8.4 mi · ▲ 216 ft · 2 hr 54 min

The Island & Howell Station Prairie Trail is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in North Tailwater near Pella, IA. The route reaches The Island. It is mostly level, with 216 ft of elevation gain. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi702 – 879 ft8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.40133, -92.91834
Nearest town Pella, IA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

The Island & Howell Station Prairie Trail

8.4 mi · ▲ 216 ft · 2 hr 54 min

Elevation 703–879 ft

Out & Back · North Tailwater

Trailhead: 41.40133, -92.91834

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:58 AM · sunset 7:14 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass The Island.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  5. 3.5 miBear right onto Howell Station Prairie Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.6 miReach The Island, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 0.6 miBear left, heading SE.
  8. 3.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  10. 500 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

14% dirt86% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:58 AMSunset 7:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~36 min). Leave by 6:18 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:06 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead