Rail-Trail
State: IA Length: 19.80 miles Surface: Asphalt
This scenic Chichaqua Valley Trail runs for 20 miles between just east of Bondurant and the town of Baxter, passing through the small communities of Ira, Mingo and Valeria along the way. The name is derived from a Native American word that early ...
State: IA Length: 13.50 miles Surface: Cinder, Crushed Stone
Cinder Path, stretching between the sleepy towns of Cheriton and Humeston in southern Iowa, might appear unassuming to those unfamiliar with Iowa's great trail history. But don't let the rugged surface or the untamed vegetation fool you—Cinder ...
State: IA Length: 8.50 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
The Clive Greenbelt Trail meanders along the northern bank of Walnut Creek through the Des Moines suburbs of Windsor Heights and Clive. Because of the many twists and turns on the high-traffic trail, cyclists should watch out for runners and ...
State: IA Length: 12 miles Surface: Asphalt
When complete, the Gay Lea Wilson Trail will link several central Iowa communities and open space over a 35-mile course. The main completed section connects Des Moines with Pleasant Hill and Altoona to the northeast. Plans are to connect East ...
State: IA Length: 2.50 miles Surface: Concrete
While the open section of the Gay Lea Wilson Trail in Ankeny is only 2.5 miles long, plans call for an extension of the trail to meet the longer section of Des Moines' Gay Lea Wilson Trail as early as 2013. Construction will begin at the current ...
State: IA Length: 16.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
The 16.5-mile Great Western Trail in central Iowa is built on an abandoned rail bed for the Chicago Great Western, originally constructed in 1893. The trail crosses a few remaining remnants of prairie and wetlands that include some of Iowa's ...
State: IA Length: 25.80 miles Surface: Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail currently consists of two disjointed sections. The first stretches from the small city of Slater in the west to the tiny town of Collins in the east. This segment includes a brief on-road detour between 535th Avenue ...
State: IA Length: 17 miles Surface: Concrete
This proposed 17 mile rail- to-trail project will extend the Raccoon River Valley Trail System from Herndon 17 miles west through Guthrie County to end at the Coon Rapids-Whiterock rural tourism destination area. This will complete a key segment ...
State: IA Length: 25 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
The High Trestle Trail (f.k.a. the Ankeny to Woodward Trail) is named for the original railroad bridge that spans the Des Moines River between Madrid and Woodward, on the trail's northern end. This dramatic trestle is a work of art itself: a ...
State: IA Length: 1.30 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
Des Moines' Inter-Urban Trail was opened in 1998 on the abandoned tracks of the Urbandale streetcar line. Residents and visitors of Iowa could ride the electric-powered trolley from Urbandale to Des Moines for just a five cent fare from 1905 ...
State: IA Length: 11.10 miles Surface: Concrete
The Iowa 330/US 30 Trail stretches from just west of the small town of Melbourne to the outskirts of Marshalltown, the largest city and county seat of Marshall County, located close to the geographic center of Iowa. While consensus is lacking ...
State: IA Length: 3.40 miles Surface: Asphalt
The John Pat Dorrian Trail, formerly known as the East River Trail, runs for nearly 3.5 miles from Pete Crivaro Park in south Des Moines to Birdland Park and Marina just north of downtown. At this northern endpoint, the trail seamlessly connects ...
State: IA Length: 1.80 miles Surface: Concrete
Since 1994, the Little River Scenic Pathway has offered something for everyone to enjoy. Users can enjoy nature while hiking, biking, jogging or exercising at fitness areas along the trail or by taking a leisurely stroll and stopping for a picnic ...
State: IA Length: 1.60 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
The 1.6-mile McVay Trail in Indianola provides a paved route for cyclists, walkers and joggers between East 5th Street and Pickard Park. The trail follows the bed of the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) railroad and is flanked with ...
State: IA Length: 26 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Neal Smith Trail, which connects to the John Pat Dorrian Trail in downtown Des Moines, runs through a portion of Des Moines itself before leaving the city limits and ending in the north at Big Creek State Park. An aquaphile's paradise, the ...
State: IA Length: 5.20 miles Surface: Concrete
The Oralabor Gateway Trail is a 5.2 mile concrete-surfaced spur branching off from the Neal Smith Trail south of Saylorville Lake and just north of NW 66th Avenue. While running adjacent to suburban Iowa neighborhoods, the trail parallels Oralabor ...
State: IA Length: 14.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Ottumwa Trail System provides a scenic north-south route along the Des Moines River through the center of Ottumwa. Along the way, trail-goers can enjoy many of the city's natural treasures, including Gray Eagle Nature Preserve, Turkey Island ...
State: IA Length: 82.40 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
Two separate sections of the Raccoon River Valley Trail are currently open for use. The first and longest portion travels for 56 miles between Clive (west of Des Moines) in Dallas and Polk Counties and Jefferson in Greene County. From Clive, ...
The paved Summerset trail extends between the McVay Trail in Indianola and Route 5 at 1st Street in Carlisle, following the old rail bed of the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) railroad. This National Recreation Trail passes among ...
State: IA Length: 3.70 miles Surface: Asphalt
Polk County's Trestle to Trestle Trail stretches from Des Moines to Johnston, one of its northern suburbs. The 3.7 mile asphalt trail, which runs near both heavily-wooded forest and the Des Moines River, has been a crucial link in central Iowa's ...
State: IA Length: 13 miles Surface: Asphalt
The unusually-named Volksweg Trail connects the city of Pella in Marion County, Iowa, with Lake Red Rock, a large reservoir formed by the Des Moines River's Red Rock Dam. Pella was founded by immigrants from the Netherlands in 1847, so it is ...