AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Saylorville Lake Project

Top Shelf

6 mi · ▲ 245 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Top Shelf is a 6-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Johnston, IA. It is mostly level, with 245 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi801 – 948 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.66944, -93.70583
Nearest town Johnston, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Top Shelf

6 mi · ▲ 245 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Elevation 802–947 ft

Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project

Trailhead: 41.66944, -93.70583

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:16 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 694 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  7. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  8. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  9. 250 ftBear right, heading E.
  10. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  11. 0.7 miTurn right, heading N.
  12. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  13. 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
  14. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  15. 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
  16. 0.3 miBear left onto Top Shelf, heading SE.
  17. 0.1 miBear right onto Low Line, heading E.
  18. 300 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  19. 250 ftBear left onto Top Shelf, heading E.
  20. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  21. 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
  22. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  23. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  24. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  26. 0.7 miTurn right, heading S.
  27. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  28. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  29. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  30. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  31. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  33. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  34. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  35. 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/top-shelf-out-back-10-km-b970

Trail surface

76% paved6% dirt18% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:16 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~45 min). Leave by 6:10 PM for the 7:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:15 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 694 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Johnston, Iowa