Gay Lea Wilson Trail

Polk County, IA

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Location

A trailhead is located off of Copper Creek Plaza in Pleasant Hill or at Carney Marsh in Ankeny.

The Carney Marsh Parking lot is located at 698 SE 54th Street, Ankeny, Iowa 50221

Click here for a flyer of the Gay Lea Wilson Trail Connection: Ankeny to Des Moines

Click here for a map of the Gay Lea Wilson Trail: Gay Lea Wilson Trail Map and Info

Operating Hours & Seasons

Summer Hours (April 1 -October 31) | 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

The north side of Easter Lake Park is open sunrise to sunset year-round.
Fort Des Moines Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset year-round.

Winter Hours (November 1 - March 31) | Sunrise to sunset

GLW trail map

PCCB Park Rules

Discover Gay Lea Wilson Trail in Pleasant Hill

Parking available at Copper Creek Plaza in Pleasant Hill (off University Ave) and at Carney Marsh, Ankeny

The Gay Lea Wilson Trail, when completed, will extend for approximately 35 miles throughout the eastern and northern parts of Polk County. The trail will also make up the lower portion of a 110-mile Central Iowa Trail Loop that will connect existing parks, trails, and businesses in five counties. Polk County Conservation Board currently owns and manages the five mile trail segment between Pleasant Hill and Altoona and the recently constructed 2.5 mile trail segment between Ankeny and Des Moines. Parking and access to this new stretch of trail are available at Carney Marsh in Ankeny or Sargent Park in Des Moines.

Recreation and nature enthusiasts will find this multi-use trail useful for a variety of activities including hiking, cycling, birding, in-line skating, and cross-country skiing.

Motorized vehicles are prohibited on all trails within PCCB lands. The only exceptions are for maintenance, law enforcement, and emergency vehicles. This restriction does not apply to a manual-operated or power-driven device designed primarily for use by an individual with a mobility disability, e.g. wheel chair.