Top Shelf
5.5 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 55 min
Top Shelf is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Saylorville Lake Project near Camp Dodge, IA. It is mostly level, with 162 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
5.5 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 55 min
Elevation 802–994 ft
Out & Back · Saylorville Lake Project
Trailhead: 41.69547, -93.70735
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:01 AM · sunset 7:17 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 1.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Top Shelf, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Covid Cut, heading SE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Covid Cut, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Top Shelf, heading E.
- 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 W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:57 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:17 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:45 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
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