Explore the best rated trails in Fairfield, IA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Highway 1 Trail and John King Trail. With more than 22 trails covering 3870 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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A sidepath trail that runs follows a section of highway east of the Iowa River in Iowa City, the Highway 6 Trail is a paved pathway that helps connect residents with shopping destinations and...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
The Mahaska Community Recreation Trail wraps around the southeast Iowan city, winding through neighborhoods, farmlands, community parks, and woodlands. Construction of the trail began in 1999 and to...
Iowa City's Sycamore Greenway Trail is a paved trail running alongside the Sycamore Greenway, a stormwater management system comprising a series of cells planted with native flowers and grasses, which...
Running throughout Iowa City and the surrounding area, the Iowa River Corridor Trail provides residents and visitors alike with an invaluable off-road means of getting around the city. The trail has...
Eldon, Iowa is best known as the home of the American Gothic House, immortalized in Grant Wood's "American Gothic" painting, which now serves as a museum and cultural attraction that draws visitors...
The John King Trail runs along a former railroad corridor in Albia, Iowa. From 3rd Ave E to Benton Ave, the trail runs parallel to an active railroad line. Cruizin’ Albia Park, which has a playground...
The Fairfield Loop Trail forms a 16-mile ring around the town of Fairfield, mostly in the outlying areas of the countryside. The trail links two major preserves and connects city and county parks....
Named for Fort Madison's community trails group, Promoting Outdoor Recreational Trails, the Fort Madison PORT Trail is a developing network of multi-use trails in the riverside city's western...
Located in a creekside park on the outskirts of the campus of the Univeristy of Iowa, visitors who travel on the Mormon Handcart Trail will learn quite a bit about the journey that the Mormon handcart...
Passing over the same ground that Mormon pioneers once crossed on their way out west, the Mormon Trek/Coralville Strip Nature Trail provides a welcome dose of historical reflection and natural beauty...
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,...
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The Flint River Trail, when complete, will run for approximately 20 miles between downtown Burlington, Iowa, and the Big Hollow Creek Recreation Area in the northern part of Des Moines County. The...
A concrete pathway that runs for just shy of a mile, the Lower Finkbine Trail forms a crucial link in the Iowa City area's multi-use trail network, connecting residents of the University Heights...
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The Clear Creek Trail is a paved trail for cyclists and pedestrians that spans a lengthy, beautifully-wooded corridor along the Clear Creek, which travels along the southern edge of the communities of...
The Kewash Nature Trail winds for nearly 14 miles between the towns of Keota and Washington. These endpoints were creatively combined to form the trail's name. The trail has a crushed limestone...
The Hoover Nature Trail is a developing rail-trail in southeastern Iowa being built on a former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The trail is named for President Herbert Hoover,...
The small community of Mount Pleasant, Iowa is home to a nice, long series of recreational trails and sidepaths. The trail system enables many residents to easily get around the community by foot or...
A short little trail for biking and walking, the Westview Park Trail runs from the end of a residential street in Donnellson, Iowa to the city's Westview Park, home to athletic fields, playgrounds,...
The Cedar View Trail provides a connection between the small cities of Fairfield and Libertyville in southeastern Iowa. A trailhead with parking and information on the trail greets users at the...
Eldon, Iowa is best known as the home of the American Gothic House, immortalized in Grant Wood's "American Gothic" painting, which now serves as a museum and cultural attraction that draws visitors...
The small community of Mount Pleasant, Iowa is home to a nice, long series of recreational trails and sidepaths. The trail system enables many residents to easily get around the community by foot or...
Passing over the same ground that Mormon pioneers once crossed on their way out west, the Mormon Trek/Coralville Strip Nature Trail provides a welcome dose of historical reflection and natural beauty...
The Highway 1 Trail is an urban sidepath trail that follows a stretch of the highway through southwestern Iowa City, providing a useful commuting alternative to the busy roadway. The trail, while...
Located in a creekside park on the outskirts of the campus of the Univeristy of Iowa, visitors who travel on the Mormon Handcart Trail will learn quite a bit about the journey that the Mormon handcart...
The Fairfield Loop Trail forms a 16-mile ring around the town of Fairfield, mostly in the outlying areas of the countryside. The trail links two major preserves and connects city and county parks....
The Flint River Trail, when complete, will run for approximately 20 miles between downtown Burlington, Iowa, and the Big Hollow Creek Recreation Area in the northern part of Des Moines County. The...
Running throughout Iowa City and the surrounding area, the Iowa River Corridor Trail provides residents and visitors alike with an invaluable off-road means of getting around the city. The trail has...
A concrete pathway that runs for just shy of a mile, the Lower Finkbine Trail forms a crucial link in the Iowa City area's multi-use trail network, connecting residents of the University Heights...
A short little trail for biking and walking, the Westview Park Trail runs from the end of a residential street in Donnellson, Iowa to the city's Westview Park, home to athletic fields, playgrounds,...
A sidepath trail that runs follows a section of highway east of the Iowa River in Iowa City, the Highway 6 Trail is a paved pathway that helps connect residents with shopping destinations and...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
Named for Fort Madison's community trails group, Promoting Outdoor Recreational Trails, the Fort Madison PORT Trail is a developing network of multi-use trails in the riverside city's western...
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Located amid residential neighborhoods in southwestern Iowa City, the Willow Creek Trail is a paved, multi-use trail that follows the course of its namesake waterway for about a mile and a half. The...
The Mahaska Community Recreation Trail wraps around the southeast Iowan city, winding through neighborhoods, farmlands, community parks, and woodlands. Construction of the trail began in 1999 and to...
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,...
The Clear Creek Trail is a paved trail for cyclists and pedestrians that spans a lengthy, beautifully-wooded corridor along the Clear Creek, which travels along the southern edge of the communities of...
The Cedar View Trail provides a connection between the small cities of Fairfield and Libertyville in southeastern Iowa. A trailhead with parking and information on the trail greets users at the...
The Kewash Nature Trail winds for nearly 14 miles between the towns of Keota and Washington. These endpoints were creatively combined to form the trail's name. The trail has a crushed limestone...
Iowa City's Sycamore Greenway Trail is a paved trail running alongside the Sycamore Greenway, a stormwater management system comprising a series of cells planted with native flowers and grasses, which...
The Kewash Nature Trail winds for nearly 14 miles between the towns of Keota and Washington. These endpoints were creatively combined to form the trail's name. The trail has a crushed limestone...
The Flint River Trail, when complete, will run for approximately 20 miles between downtown Burlington, Iowa, and the Big Hollow Creek Recreation Area in the northern part of Des Moines County. The...
A short little trail for biking and walking, the Westview Park Trail runs from the end of a residential street in Donnellson, Iowa to the city's Westview Park, home to athletic fields, playgrounds,...
Eldon, Iowa is best known as the home of the American Gothic House, immortalized in Grant Wood's "American Gothic" painting, which now serves as a museum and cultural attraction that draws visitors...
Iowa City's Sycamore Greenway Trail is a paved trail running alongside the Sycamore Greenway, a stormwater management system comprising a series of cells planted with native flowers and grasses, which...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
A sidepath trail that runs follows a section of highway east of the Iowa River in Iowa City, the Highway 6 Trail is a paved pathway that helps connect residents with shopping destinations and...
Located in a creekside park on the outskirts of the campus of the Univeristy of Iowa, visitors who travel on the Mormon Handcart Trail will learn quite a bit about the journey that the Mormon handcart...
The Cedar View Trail provides a connection between the small cities of Fairfield and Libertyville in southeastern Iowa. A trailhead with parking and information on the trail greets users at the...
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,...
Located amid residential neighborhoods in southwestern Iowa City, the Willow Creek Trail is a paved, multi-use trail that follows the course of its namesake waterway for about a mile and a half. The...
The Clear Creek Trail is a paved trail for cyclists and pedestrians that spans a lengthy, beautifully-wooded corridor along the Clear Creek, which travels along the southern edge of the communities of...
The Fairfield Loop Trail forms a 16-mile ring around the town of Fairfield, mostly in the outlying areas of the countryside. The trail links two major preserves and connects city and county parks....
The Hoover Nature Trail is a developing rail-trail in southeastern Iowa being built on a former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The trail is named for President Herbert Hoover,...
The Mahaska Community Recreation Trail wraps around the southeast Iowan city, winding through neighborhoods, farmlands, community parks, and woodlands. Construction of the trail began in 1999 and to...
The Highway 1 Trail is an urban sidepath trail that follows a stretch of the highway through southwestern Iowa City, providing a useful commuting alternative to the busy roadway. The trail, while...
Named for Fort Madison's community trails group, Promoting Outdoor Recreational Trails, the Fort Madison PORT Trail is a developing network of multi-use trails in the riverside city's western...
Running throughout Iowa City and the surrounding area, the Iowa River Corridor Trail provides residents and visitors alike with an invaluable off-road means of getting around the city. The trail has...
The John King Trail runs along a former railroad corridor in Albia, Iowa. From 3rd Ave E to Benton Ave, the trail runs parallel to an active railroad line. Cruizin’ Albia Park, which has a playground...
Passing over the same ground that Mormon pioneers once crossed on their way out west, the Mormon Trek/Coralville Strip Nature Trail provides a welcome dose of historical reflection and natural beauty...
Started at the hospital and went east. after navigating through the steep gravel and getting on a paved road, the signage stopped. we floundered about riding through nice neighborhoods looking for signs and getting frustrated. we finally found a signed intersection and using map reading skills managed to pick up the trail in a different neighborhood. Turns out that the TH at Lamson Woods State Preserve was being rebuilt and the big equipment blocked or removed the TH signs so we missed that turnoff completely. the trail is alot of fun (loop trails always are), over hill over dale through wetlands, neighborhoods, across rail lines w/ trains on them and then through the industrial section of Fairfield past the Walmart. At about this time and through Witham Woods, there was no-one else on the trail. Thick gravel and hills along Hiway 34 back to the start point.
Overgrown foliage and thorn vines across the path. Bring your own clippers or take another route for access to Clear Creek.
Great trail! Beautiful countryside. There's an area you have to watch out for holes in the trail.
I love the landscape diversity I get to experience on this trail. There are some great views with a mix of hills and flat stretches. Gives you a great view of what southeast Iowa has to offer. Everyone should come out and check out this 16 mile loop. Also there are plenty of places in Fairfield to stop. I would suggest biking to the Fishback and Stephenson Cider House. It’s right off the the trail near Pleasant Lake. They are only open for supper and brunch only on Sundays.
I’ve ridden this trail from the Mehaffey Bridge South to the I-80 overpass. It’s a nice wide paved trail in great condition. It goes through North Liberty and then south into Iowa City. There are some pretty big hills in this section, but nothing unmanageable. There’s lots to look at along the way, and some opportunities for side trips, like through Waterworks Prairie Park which was very nice! At the far south end the trail loops around Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, which is a great place to spend some time. They have kayaking and other water sports. You could easily spend half a day enjoying this trail.
I was riding west on the American Discovery Trail. When I reached the Hoover Nature Trail I was extremely disappointed. My wife was meeting me there to ride this section but it was totally overgrown! No way to ride it. I would have rated this a zero if possible.
We rode this trail from Toulon to Princeville today. It was great! The path was very good. It is mostly shaded. Excellent. We stopped in Wyoming on our way back for lunch. Ate at 111 Coffee Shop. Don’t be fooled, this is NOT just a coffee shop. The lunch was delicious. And it is decorated all with bikes! Perfect for us bikers. And check out the bathroom. Cute!!! Can’t wait to do more of the route from Princeville going south.
Wow, showed up to the Coneville trail and it was completely over run with weeds and grass! Really disappointed:
For the most part this is a great trail. The bottom section towards university park is roads and not marked vary well hard to find the trail. To find go to the park (university park) ride East past park trail is on the left. Once back on the trail is easy to stay on.
Nice trail that has a few challengingly climbs and worth the trip.
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