Saylorville Lake Project

Top Shelf

8 mi · ▲ 276 ft · 2 hr 48 min

Top Shelf is an 8-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Herrold, IA. It climbs 276 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi801 – 948 ft8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.68550, -93.74445
Nearest town Herrold, IA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Top Shelf

8 mi · ▲ 276 ft · 2 hr 48 min

Elevation 802–947 ft

Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project

Trailhead: 41.68550, -93.74445

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  3. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  7. 2.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  10. 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
  13. 0.3 miBear left onto Top Shelf, heading E.
  14. 0.1 miBear right onto Low Line, heading E.
  15. 250 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  16. 300 ftBear left onto Top Shelf, heading E.
  17. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  18. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  19. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  21. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  22. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 2.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  25. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  26. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  28. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  29. 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 surface

90% paved4% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:16 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~69 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 7:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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