Find the top rated hike trails in Carroll, whether you're looking for an easy short hike trail or a long hike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a hike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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We really enjoyed riding from Panora almost to Adel and back. Really shady areas to ride and several bridges. The trail was really nice. Another day we road from Perry to Waukee and back and that is pretty much a straight ride. That’s good for little ones to learn. We felt that we like the west ride better. All in all was a good experience for the parts we road on.
I live in Jefferson and ride this trail pretty much every day. It's a big part of the reason I moved to this corner of Iowa. I've ridden every inch of it multiple times. Here are some general observations:
1. If you want smooth concrete, the north leg from Waukee to Herndon is for you. It's the newest leg of the trail and it's in really good condition. The southern leg from Waukee to Herndon and the leg from Herdon to Jefferson are a mixed bag in terms of pavement condition. There are some bumps and divots, but none of it is terrible and anyone who says it is hasn't ridden a lot of rail trails in other parts of the world.
2. Amenities are a mixed bag. You'll often find restrooms closed and many of the towns have no services at all. Your best bets if you need to make a stop are the trailheads in Waukee and Jefferson along with Adel and Perry.
3. Cell coverage is adequate over the entire trail length. This is not quite the back of beyond, but it's getting close in some parts. I typically carry a spare tube and bike tool, just in case.
4. Trail required a permit when I first moved out here. It no longer does, at least in Greene County. Not 100% sure regarding Dallas and Guthrie. Back in the day, rangers would routinely stop me in both Dallas and Guthrie, especially on weekends.
5. A round trip on the entire trail, including the leg to and from Jefferson, comes in at just under 100 miles in length.
6. If it's solitude you crave, the southern loop from just west of Adel all the way up to Jefferson is usually pretty much empty.
7. Any type of bike will work. I typically ride a singlespeed gravel bike with 40 mm tires, but road bikes and trikes are just fine too. There are times I combine parts of the trail with gravel and minimum maintenance roads and on those occasions I'll ride my Surly Karate Monkey with 3" 650b wheels. Anything goes.
8. Speaking of which, there are some interesting side trips on gravel worth taking including the hop to Brenton Aboretum near Dallas Center, the Bonnie and Clyde monument at Dexfield Park near Redfield and Bays Branch Wildlife Area and Springbok State Park between Panora and Yale. Camping at Sportsman Park near Dawson or Springbok State Park.
In summary, the RRVT is an iconic rail trail...one that every cyclist should ride at least once.
This trail has been extended all the way to Badger IA. Everything North of 170th street is nice new 10 foot wide concrete, they have done a great job of updating the old trail and bridges.
Ok section, kind of dull. Agriculture & cows. Found a bit of shade by a grain elevator for lunch. Several washouts filled with tumbleweeds as you get closer to Lind.
The Woodward-to-Perry Connector in the High Trestle Trail was long planned, requiring new bridges, land acquisition/donation and careful design. The result is spectacular. I rode this today on a cool Autumn day through harvested farm fields and along streams. The views are superb. The trail surface (paved concrete) is top notch. It crosses a few well-marked country roads but otherwise is a dedicated nature trail for hiking and biking. The entire route from Woodward to Perry is separated path except for two blocks of residential side street in Bouton. Although brand new, this trail is seeing use: groups of cyclists went by; numerous hikers and runners were out; and small kids on bikes near Perry were using it. It exits into residential streets in Perry that are well signposted to guide one to downtown or to the other trails beginning in Perry. Hats off to the County board of supervisors and the numerous volunteers and donors who made this happen.
We started in Akron and rode about 18 miles north. Loved it!!!
A mile or so south of Lake View the trail is closed for another mile. Not to worry. You can take the highway south just short of the RR tracks, and take the gravel road to the end. The trail starts up again there.
We ( recumbent trike & e-bike) headed West from the Kiwanis park. Turned around after 9km as the surface was really tough on the trike. There’s 2 good wheel tracks for bikes, but the trike had to ride partially in the coarse trail ballast. Scenic area with farm views and a huge windmill farm in the distance.
This trail is mostly concrete and very smooth and pretty. Our favorite section is Yale to Redfield. The very worst section is Yale to Jefferson--I advise not even going on that section--multiple wide cracks, potholes, limbs hanging over the trail--we finally turned around and rode a different direction--we were at the Herndon TH/junction. Boo to Guthrie County for not maintaining their part of the trail. We camped at Springbrook State Park.
Rode this trail mid-May 2024. Surface is cement, so easy and flat biking and trail in great shape. We started in Perry, which is charming and makes a big deal out of the biking trail (can't miss the biking sculpture). We rode as far as Minburn and turned around to ride back for a ride of 20.5 (we also did part of the Sauk Rail Trail on this day). The RRVT is recommended on the Rails to Trails “HALL OF FAME.” $2 daily trail fee. Saw so many birds: cardinals, orioles, blue jays. Popular trail – lots of activity, bikers, walkers. Windy in the open parts. Found some keys and stuck them on a branch we pushed in on the side of the trail. Were delighted to find woven dandelions around the branch as a "thank you" when we rode back to Perry. Beautiful rural biking and people were so friendly. Great ride!
It is too bad the asphalt has cracked. A great effort was made to have a nice trail but the cracks were enough to make it rough riding. That is the reason such a low rating. I also question why most of the trees have been cut down.
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