Iowa City, IA Running Trails and Maps

178 Reviews

Looking for the best Running trails around Iowa City?

Find the top rated running trails in Iowa City, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
43 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

70.6 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Central City Trail (IA)

3 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Court Hill Trail

2.8 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Duck Creek Recreational Trail

13.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Fairfield Loop Trail

16 mi
State: IA
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Gilroy Rustic Park Trail

0.5 mi
State: IA
Ballast, Grass

Grant Wood Trail (Jones County Segment)

2.7 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Great American Rail-Trail

3743.9 mi
State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Iowa River Corridor Trail

18.2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Kewash Nature Trail

13.8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Mississippi River Trail (Riverdale to Davenport)

14.3 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Mormon Handcart Trail

0.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Mount Pleasant Recreational Trails

8.3 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Sac and Fox Trail

7.2 mi
State: IA
Concrete, Crushed Stone

Solon-Lake Macbride Recreation Trail

5.3 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Clear Creek Trail (IA)

8 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment)

14.3 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Grass, Gravel

Great River Trail

63.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt
Accordion

Old Creamery Nature Trail

15.3 mi
State: IA
Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Boyson Trail

3.4 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Hoover Nature Trail

27.7 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

CEMAR Trail

5.4 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Cedar Street Trail

1.2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Coral Ridge Avenue Trail

1.5 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Dovetail Recreation Trail

1.3 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Edgewood Trail

1.2 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Eldridge/Long Grove Trail

3.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Ellis Trail

3.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Hershey Avenue Trail

0.7 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Highway 1 Trail

1.2 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Highway 6 Trail

1 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Lester Matzen Bike Path

1 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Lower Finkbine Trail

0.9 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Muddy Creek Trail

1.8 mi
State: IA
Concrete

North Ridge Trail

6.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Oakdale Boulevard Trail

3.7 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Ranshaw Way Trail

1.4 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Sycamore Greenway Trail

2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Westside Trail (IA)

0.4 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Willow Creek Trail (IA)

1.6 mi
State: IA
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
Overview The Cedar Valley Nature Trail follows the fertile Cedar River between Evansdale and Ely. The 70.6-mile trail comprises three former trails—the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, the Cedar River...
IA 70.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Central City Trail winds for 3 miles along the banks of the Wapsinicon River, running through Pinicon Ridge County Park into downtown Central City. Pinicon Ridge County Park is 966 acres of...
IA 3 mi Concrete
The Court Hill Trail is a concrete pathway that provides a connection between four local parks in the neighborhoods of eastern Iowa City. Starting in the west at Creekside Park, the trail passes...
IA 2.8 mi Concrete
The Duck Creek Recreational Trail, also known as Duck Creek Parkway Trail, traverses three riverfront cities in the Quad Cities region of eastern Iowa, offering residents the opportunity for a...
IA 13.5 mi Asphalt
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....
IA 16 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
Located in the quaint community of Lost Nation, the Gilroy Rustic Park Trail is one of the most picturesque places in Clinton County. The half-mile path is lined with trees and, although the trail is...
IA 0.5 mi Ballast, Grass
Nearly 3 miles of the Grant Wood Trail in Jones County has been constructed so far (2012) along a former Milwaukee Road right-of-way in Marion and Olin. The trail is named for the early 20th-century...
IA 2.7 mi Crushed Stone
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...
DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY 3743.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
Meandering along the Iowa River through Iowa City and North Liberty, this trail offers residents and visitors alike with an invaluable off-road link between the two cities. Numerous offshoots of the...
IA 18.2 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
IA 13.8 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Mississippi River Trail in Scott County resembles the setting of a Mark Twain novel as it travels 13.5 miles along its namesake within sight of barges, riverboats, and marine-related businesses...
IA 14.3 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
IA 0.5 mi Asphalt
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...
IA 8.3 mi Concrete
Muscatine’s Running River Trail System offers paved and unpaved routes crossing the riverside city. One of the most beloved segments sits right on the water’s edge: The Riverside Trail is 5.3 miles of...
IA 5.3 mi Asphalt
The Sac and Fox Trail offers 7.2 miles of beautiful, shady recreation along the Cedar River and Indian Creek on the outskirts of Cedar Rapids. The oldest designated National Recreation Trail in Iowa,...
IA 7.2 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone
The Solon–Lake Macbride Recreation Trail runs for 5 miles between the scenic state park and the town of Solon to the east. The popular trail is perfect for cycling or walking and skiing or...
IA 5.3 mi Crushed Stone
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...
IA 8 mi Concrete
Running along a former railroad corridor in Linn County, the Grant Wood Trail is being developed in phases. The trail is named for the early 20th-century Iowa artist, perhaps best known for his...
IA 14.3 mi Asphalt, Grass, Gravel
Overview The Great River Trail is a breathtaking journey along more than 60 miles of the Mississippi River in northern Illinois. In places, the paved trail follows the former spur route of the...
IL 63.3 mi Asphalt
The Kent Stein to Deep Lakes Park Trail (also known as the Wiggens Road Trail) provides an important connector in the southeast Iowa community of Muscatine, which is separated from Illinois by the...
IA 4 mi Asphalt
Accordion
The Old Creamery Nature Trail, running between Vinton and Dysart, is so named for the Old Creamery Theater Company building in Garrison, another tiny farm community through which the trail passes. The...
IA 15.3 mi Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel
The tranquil, tree-lined Boyson Trail runs along Indian Creek and Dry Creek in western Marion. The crushed limestone trail connects neighborhoods, shopping areas, and several parks (north to south):...
IA 3.4 mi Crushed Stone
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,...
IA 27.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel
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...
IA 0.8 mi Concrete
The CeMar Trail between Cedar Rapids and Marion, in eastern Iowa, continues to take shape. As of 2023, there are over five miles open for use. The trail was pitched in 1992 and it took a decade to see...
IA 5.4 mi Asphalt
The Cedar Street Trail begins on Houser Street in northwest Muscatine and runs until Parham Road over a mile east. It’s a neighborhood trail connecting residents to the homes, schools, businesses,...
IA 1.2 mi Asphalt
While you might have to look a bit far afield to find any living reefs near the city of Coralville, Iowa, you don't have to look far to find a nice trail for biking and walking, thanks to the Coral...
IA 1.5 mi Concrete
The Dovetail Recreation Trail is a short community pathway that runs through developing neighborhoods in the eastern edge of the suburb of Coralville, just north of Iowa City. The concrete trail...
IA 1.3 mi Concrete
The Edgewood multiuse trail connects residents along Edgewood Road to the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The concrete trail sits in the grassy margin of the road, and stretches from O Avenue...
IA 1.2 mi Concrete
Running between the rural communities of Eldridge and Long Grove to the north of Davenport, the Eldridge/Long Grove Trail provides a great recreational asset to these small, quiet suburbs. The path...
IA 3.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Ellis Trail gets you as close to the Cedar River as you can get without getting your feet wet. The paved path traces the west bank of the river, running for over three miles one-way, with a sidewalk...
IA 3.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Hershey Avenue Trail, paralleling its namesake roadway for just under a mile, serves as an east-west connector for the City of Muscatine. The paved pathway begins at the intersection of Hershey...
IA 0.7 mi Asphalt
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...
IA 1.2 mi Concrete
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...
IA 1 mi Concrete
The Lester Matzen Bike Path is named in memory of an Eldridge man who is fondly remembered for collecting and restoring bicycles. The trail stretches along Le Claire Road between 1st Street and 18th...
IA 1 mi Asphalt
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...
IA 0.9 mi Concrete
The Muddy Creek Trail is a paved, multi-use trail that runs through the suburban community of Coralville, following the route of the small creek through residential neighborhoods and lovely wooded...
IA 1.8 mi Concrete
The North Ridge Trail is a real gem of a trail, located northwest of Iowa City in the suburban communities of Coralville and North Liberty - the trail is the result of the combination of the North...
IA 6.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Oakdale Boulevard Trail is a sidepath trail that runs along the north side of Oakdale Boulevard through suburban Coralville, Iowa. While most of the trail is little more than a wide sidewalk,...
IA 3.7 mi Concrete
The Ranshaw Way Trail is a sidepath trail for biking and walking in the suburban community of North Liberty, outside Iowa City. The trail runs along the side of Ranshaw Way/Highway 965 for over a...
IA 1.4 mi Concrete
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...
IA 2 mi Asphalt
One day spanning 1.75 miles, the Westside Trail will serve as an important connector in the southeast Iowa community of Muscatine, providing access to Kent Stein Park and Discovery Park. Currently,...
IA 0.4 mi Asphalt
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...
IA 1.6 mi Asphalt

Recent Trail Reviews

Great American Rail-Trail

such a beautiful trail!

October, 2024 by sherryschie

We started in Akron and rode about 18 miles north. Loved it!!!

Fairfield Loop Trail

Fairfield Loop

September, 2024 by dpate

I rode this trail in late Sept 2024. I started at 9th street and Gear Ave and attempted to ride clockwise but the trail was closed near Chautauqua Park and I got lost on the detour so I rode through town back to where I started and rode counterclockwise. I was going to ride around to the closing on the other side but I got side tracked by the Cedar View Trail which was also great. The Loop is a treasure for the people that live in the area. Much of the in town parts are paved and the rest is smooth crushed rock. I give this trail 5 stars! Traveling cyclist Facebook In

Kewash Nature Trail

Kewash Trail

September, 2024 by dpate

I rode the Kewash in late Sept 2024. It’s paved from Washington up to the bridge at Crooked Creek where it changes to good crushed stone. There were a very few holes that some animals have dug here and there but overall the crushed stone is in solid great condition with no loose gravel. There is a lot of straight open riding with no shade. It’s a very serene ride with no interaction with the death machines. I rate this 5 stars for sure. Traveling cyclist Facebook

Accordion

Mount Pleasant Recreational Trails

Good trail

September, 2024 by dpate

I rode this trail in Sept 2024 in the mid sixties. It’s a very nice mostly cement trail. It’s great for a couple hours of death machine free riding. I rate it 5 stars.. Traveling cyclist Facebook

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

Kind of rough

September, 2024 by xgqrms2jbn

In early September 2024 I started this Cedar Valley Trail in Evansdale and headed south. The trail was paved but it has a lot of big perpendicular cracks and little sink spots that detract from the enjoyment. Too bad they haven't paint marked the bad spots that you cannot see when they're in shadow. It is one of the rougher trails I have ridden and I was begging for it to turn into crushed stone. At Miller Creek Road the trail was closed. I believe it's where the much wanted gravel section would have started. I think they are paving the gravel parts so the new parts should be good when completed. I was anxious to ride this trail but I was a little let down by the condition and the closing. 4 stars for surface condition.
Traveling cyclist
Facebook

Great American Rail-Trail

West bound from Ellensburg. August 2024

August, 2024 by tastesbadtobears

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.

Duck Creek Recreational Trail

Having the trail link map helped since there are many on and off paths that look like the trail. Stay in your lane when busy. Will do this trail again. Very nice ride, plenty of bathrooms, and a nice pavilion at the west end.

July, 2024 by traillink user

Having the trail link map helped since there are many on and off paths that look like the trail. Stay in your lane when busy. Will do this trail again. Very nice ride, plenty of bathrooms, and a nice pavilion at the west end.

Great River Trail

Great River Disappoints

June, 2024 by kevin.gruneisen

June 19, 2024 (11:30AM)
Rode the Great River Trail as day two of our Mississippi trip. I was not happy with the trip at all. Let me tell you why. The trail is 60+ miles long and stretches from Savanna, IL to the Rock Island, IL area. Having read the reviews we drove up Hwy 84 to just south of Savanna. We could see the trail along the way, asphalt but a lot of cracks/bumps, dips and yikes areas. We saw maybe 2 bikers. Our starting point ended up at Spring Lake, just south of Savanna. It was a good spot and there is a 4 mile trail around this lake, which we did not do, but wished we had. Going south, our plan was to get to Thomson and grab a lunch. The weather was hot with just enough wind, out of the south, to be annoying. At first the trail was a perfect rails to trails; asphalt path, a little cluttered but ok. We rounded a turn at a nice visitors center and then the niceness ended; as did the trail. We ended up on a country road; Riverview Road; which is a road but there were limited glimpses of the river. Traffic was light therefore we had no trouble with cars/trucks. We kept waiting for the trail to pick back up but it never did. This was our main disappointment. The saving grace was Dusty's, in Thomson, IL. The friendly staff took good care of us, cooling us down and getting us some lunch. We flipped back north, past the federal penitentiary, on the country road, this time with the wind at our backs. All in all we did 16 miles with 157 feet of elevation. This was a one time trail for us. I look back at the trail map and it does show Riverview Road, however I wanted to make sure, with this review, that other riders understood that they would be on a country road.
Kevin

Mississippi River Trail (Riverdale to Davenport)

Mississippi River Trail - Davenport

June, 2024 by kevin.gruneisen

June 18, 2024 (12:30PM)
We rode the river trail on the 18th of June. It was hot and windy (winds out of the East/South East @15 MPH gusting to 25MPH). We parked south of Davenport at the trail head on Credit Island and rode to the Pat and Jack Bush Scenic Overlook, which provides a nice view of the river. The total round trip was 16.6 miles, with a lunch stop at Front Street Pub in Davenport. The ride had very little elevation, about 25 feet. The wind was a big factor for us as was the heat. There is little to no protection on this ride from the sun. It is all out in the open. The path was very nice, clean and paved. Will do it again, maybe starting at Riverdale and go south.
KG

Fairfield Loop Trail

Enjoyable trail with some detours.

June, 2024 by d_ochsner

Overall I was pleasantly surprised at the scenery and variety along this trail. I started at the Maasdam Barns (next to the Health Center) and went clockwise. The first issue I encountered was a closure at Kale Blvd a little over a mile in. I didn’t see any indication the trail was going to be closed at this area ahead of time. Fortunately there wasn’t a work activity at the time and others had been going around the barriers. The other trail closure at Chautauqua Park had better signage for the detour. The trail was a mix of crushed limestone, concrete path and a section of gravel road.

Old Creamery Nature Trail

A great opportunity to get away from the stresses of modern life

November, 2023 by jkbalk

I've run on the Old Creamery Nature Trail several dozen times per year for over a decade. As trails go it is well kept, and was even resurfaced a few years ago. When there has been a lot of rain, or after a winter thaw, there can be some muddy areas but those tend to be minimal and are not very common. The Vinton side of the trail is usually in slightly better condition than the Dysart side. Both the Vinton and Dysart ends of the trail are bounded by open farmland. The middle section of the trail for miles on either side of Garrison is mostly wooded and usually provides a chance to spot some wildlife. I've frequently seen eagle, owl, hawk, pheasant, turkey, deer, fox, groundhog, possum, raccoon, coyote and occasionally even a person or two. My experience is that the section from Vinton to Garrison will have a few people on it about half of the time when the weather is nice, but Dysart to Garrison sees almost no traffic so it presents an ideal opportunity for solitude if you are so inclined.

Great River Trail

Disappointment

November, 2023 by deetiffanylb

We just returned from our week-end-a day early. Yes chilly weather was a factor but even more to the point, the trail was a Huge disappointment. We had decided to drive to south end and eye the conditions that rec'd mostly negative comments. We never even unloaded our bikes! The trail is basically not maintained, often runs right along OR on the highway for the majority of its 62 miles. The straight, unimaginative paths are not only boring but neglected to the pt of being dangerous - often far from the Mississippi River. Where did trail get it's name from?! Illinois once again leaves the user in the dust - or should I say weeds. We were left w/ a very negative impression, leading to our distrust of both the IL trail system as well as Rails to Trails reviews. It was obvious this trail was quickly laid out to meet some timeline set by a non-biking administrators. We counted two (!) people using trail in over the 60+ miles we covered from car. THAT should say it all!

We feel strongly that reviewers on Trail Link need to be more direct with readers. Polite and tolerant reviews are as much a disservice to the bikers as the abominable trail itself!

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