Top Shelf
5.8 mi · ▲ 160 ft · 2 hr 1 min
Top Shelf is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Camp Dodge, IA. It is mostly level, with 160 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Top Shelf
5.8 mi · ▲ 160 ft · 2 hr 1 min
Elevation 802–994 ft
Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project
Trailhead: 41.69421, -93.70518
Weather Sep 20: Light rain, high 66°F / low 61° · precip 78% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 100 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 1.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Top Shelf, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Covid Cut, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading SE.
- 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Top Shelf, heading N.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:54 PM for the 7:17 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:35 PM — 10 min before dark.
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