AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Walker Johnston Park

Walker Johnston Fishing Pond–Colby Woods Trail, 4 sights

10.4 mi · ▲ 217 ft · 3 hr 35 min

Walker Johnston Fishing Pond–Colby Woods Trail, 4 sights is a 10.4-mile out-and-back in Walker Johnston Park near Windsor Heights, IA. The route reaches Walker Johnston Fishing Pond at the turnaround, 5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 217 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi810 – 958 ft12.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.60025, -93.68272
Nearest town Windsor Heights, IA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Walker Johnston Fishing Pond–Colby Woods Trail, 4 sights

10.4 mi · ▲ 217 ft · 3 hr 35 min

Elevation 810–959 ft

Out & Back · Walker Johnston Park

Trailhead: 41.60025, -93.68272

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:14 PM

Transit-accessible: University Ave & 48th St stop 26 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  3. 0.5 miTurn left onto Waveland Trail, heading S.
  4. 1.3 miSharp right onto Walnut Creek Trail, heading S.
  5. 0.8 miBear right, heading W.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  7. 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  8. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  10. 150 ftBear left onto Colby Woods Trail, heading W.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  12. 500 ftBear right, heading N.
  13. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  15. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  16. 0.8 miBear left, heading W.
  17. 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
  18. 0.3 miPass Walker Johnston Fishing Pond.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left onto Urbandale StoryWalk, heading NW.
  20. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  21. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  22. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  23. 50 ftReach Walker Johnston Fishing Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  26. 500 ftTurn right onto Colby Woods Trail, heading NW.
  27. 0.5 miBear right, heading NW.
  28. 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
  29. 0.8 miTurn left, heading SE.
  30. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  31. 0.6 miBear right, heading SE.
  32. 50 ftBear right onto Walnut Creek Trail, heading SE.
  33. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  34. 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
  35. 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
  36. 0.8 miSharp left onto Waveland Trail, heading S.
  37. 1.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  38. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
  39. 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/walker-johnston-fishing-pond-walker-johnston-fishing-pond-out-back-5-sights-17-km

Trail surface

49% paved51% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:03 AMSunset 7:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 6:50 PM for the 7:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:33 PM — 9 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: University Ave & 48th St stop 26 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Windsor Heights, Iowa