AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Saylorville Lake Project

Top Shelf

5 mi · ▲ 244 ft · 1 hr 47 min

Top Shelf is a 5-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Johnston, IA. It is mostly level, with 244 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi801 – 948 ft5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.67312, -93.69597
Nearest town Johnston, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Top Shelf

5 mi · ▲ 244 ft · 1 hr 47 min

Elevation 802–947 ft

Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project

Trailhead: 41.67312, -93.69597

Weather Sep 22: Light drizzle, high 58°F / low 55° · precip 23% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:14 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 159 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
  4. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  5. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  8. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  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 SE.
  17. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  18. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  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. 0.8 miBear right, heading S.
  24. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  26. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  27. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  28. 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/top-shelf-out-back-8-km-923d

Trail surface

80% paved7% dirt13% unspecified

Weather

Light drizzleTemperature 58°F55°
Precip23%Wind9 mphUV1Humidity92%
Rained 0.3″ yesterday (1.3″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
65°50° 12 AM: 23% rain1 AM: 11% rain2 AM: 8% rain3 AM: 5% rain4 AM: 4% rain5 AM: 5% rain6 AM: 8% rain7 AM: 12% rain8 AM: 16% rain9 AM: 13% rain10 AM: 8% rain11 AM: 5% rain12 PM: 2% rain1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 2% rain3 PM: 3% rain4 PM: 2% rain5 PM: 1% rain6 PM: 2% rain7 PM: 3% rain8 PM: 1% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:14 PM
Wed 65°55°
Thu 67°54° 22%
Fri 62°59° 37%
Sat 62°59° 62%
Sun 72°57° 27%
Mon 72°54° 27%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~31 min). Leave by 6:23 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 159 m from the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Johnston, Iowa