Find the top rated bike trails in Ottumwa, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
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,...
Who says Iowa doesn’t have hills?! The winding route of the Volksweg Trail sticks mainly to the rolling hills and scenic viewpoints from Lake Red Rock all the way to the town of Pella. Dutch...
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 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 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 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 city of Knoxville, about forty miles southeast of Des Moines, is chiefly known for the Knoxville Raceway and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, which draws racing enthusiasts...
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...
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 Cinder Path in southern Iowa is notable as the state’s first rail-to-trail conversion. Following a shady route past farms and wetlands along the Chariton River between Chariton and Humeston for...
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...
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 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...
The small city of Knoxville, about forty miles southeast of Des Moines, is chiefly known for the Knoxville Raceway and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, which draws racing enthusiasts...
Who says Iowa doesn’t have hills?! The winding route of the Volksweg Trail sticks mainly to the rolling hills and scenic viewpoints from Lake Red Rock all the way to the town of Pella. Dutch...
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 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 Cinder Path in southern Iowa is notable as the state’s first rail-to-trail conversion. Following a shady route past farms and wetlands along the Chariton River between Chariton and Humeston for...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 small city of Knoxville, about forty miles southeast of Des Moines, is chiefly known for the Knoxville Raceway and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, which draws racing enthusiasts...
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 Cinder Path in southern Iowa is notable as the state’s first rail-to-trail conversion. Following a shady route past farms and wetlands along the Chariton River between Chariton and Humeston for...
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...
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....
Who says Iowa doesn’t have hills?! The winding route of the Volksweg Trail sticks mainly to the rolling hills and scenic viewpoints from Lake Red Rock all the way to the town of Pella. Dutch...
There are no more trail closures due to construction. You can ride from Cordova Park trailhead to Pella if you choose.
I rode the entire path from Chariton to Humeston on 9/5/2020. After reading the reviews and confirmation from a friend who rode it earlier in the summer I was expecting an adventure of wading through foot high grass from Derby to Humeston. To my surprise this section was mowed very short so I think I saw this trail at its best. The section from Chariton to Derby is well maintained and scenery that is more than just cornfields or a tunnel of trees. Very nice. The southern section from Derby to Humeston was bumpy like riding on a short grass lawn. Pretty but not as appealing as the northern section. The reward is finishing in Humeston which is a wonderful little town with a nice cafe and an interesting variety store.
Family ride with our 5 yo on a pull-behind trailer wheel bike. Started in Derby (after lunch and homemade dessert at Grassroots Cafe in Humeston) and did about 12 miles round trip. Flat, shady, and quiet. Stayed cool despite mid-July heat. You can tell they have done a lot of work on the trail recently—new bridges and gravel in multiple sections. Cute covered bridge! Had worried it would be too rough for us based on reviews. But hybrids managed soft spots no problem. Only thing we didn’t plan for was that cinder dust is extra messy (but for kiddo that was just a bonus).
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.
The trail is closed near the dam. It has been closed for over 2 years and no sign that may change.
I like loop trails. this one takes you along small lakes, forest areas, and across beautiful bridges.
Steepest grade (according to our Garmin GPSMap64) was 8% on the trail; on the detour (crossing the dam to accomplish the detour) was 15%. No signs to direct you around the detour ¿¿, but there is a foot bridge crossing the river that connects Hoewell Station Rec Area with North Overlook Rec Area. But it requires riding across the dam. While crossing the dam you will see that the trail could be reopened ¿¿.
I ride trails in Kansas City, have ridden on portions of The Katy Trail, etc. this trail isn’t in as good of shape as The Katy Trail but it was good enough to have a great ride! I rode from Keota to Washington. The first day was a day after a storm and there were branches, vegetation and some mud spots. All part of a nature trail bike ride. The next day most of the vegetation, branches, etc were cleared. The trail was dried up and it was very good. It is mostly flat with small inclines and declines. Great ride!
This is a nice trail, except for the section from Pella to the trailhead by the old bridge. That is very rough. The rest of the trail is superb. This trail was billed as difficult, but I did not find it that hard. The hills are long but not steep. The scenery is great, and I enjoyed this trail.
This trail does have some hills but nothing too hard. The north part was tree lined, there were bridges and several views of the lake. You do ride next to a highway in some portions but you are still on the paved trail so no traffic. The south end is blocked due to building of the Hydro plant. I just loaded up my bike after I was done with the north and unloaded and went around the south end and up to Pella. The south end is very pretty but the ride to Pella was not very scenic after you left the lake. All in all a great trail that will be better when they get the construction done. Will definitely do this again this fall.
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