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Waterloo, IA Walking Trails and Maps

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Looking for the best Walking trails around Waterloo?

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

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Name
Length
Most Popular

Big Woods Trail (IA)

1.9 mi

State: IA

Concrete

C.R. Roberts Memorial Trail

1 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail

16 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

70.6 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Central City Trail (IA)

3 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Charley Western Recreational Trailway

4 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Evansdale Nature Trail

1.9 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Gilbert Drive Trail

1 mi

State: IA

Concrete

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

Lone Tree Road Trail

2.31 mi

State: IA

Concrete

River's Edge Trail (IA)

7.1 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Rolling Prairie Trail

21 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Sergeant Road Trail

9.9 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Shell Rock River Trail (Butler County Nature Trail)

5.9 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

South Riverside Trail

8 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Waverly Rail Trail

7.6 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Cedar Prairie Trail

7.9 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

Denver-Jefferson Trail

1.8 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment)

15 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Grass, Gravel

Iowa 330/US 30 Trail

11.1 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Accordion

Linn Creek Recreational Trail

10 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Old Creamery Nature Trail

15.3 mi

State: IA

Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Pine Lake Trail

2.4 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Pioneer Trail (IA)

11.5 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Readlyn Grump Trail

6.3 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Wolf Creek Trail (IA)

2.6 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Boyson Trail

3.4 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Comet Trail

7 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone, Grass

12th Street Trail

1.51 mi

State: IA

Concrete

218 Trail

1.43 mi

State: IA

Concrete

CEMAR Trail

5.4 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Cedar Heights Drive Trail

0.6 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Donald Street Trail

2.54 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Edgewood Trail

1.2 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Ellis Trail

3.5 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Great American Rail-Trail, Great Plains

567 mi

State: IA, NE

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Greenhill Trail

4.68 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Grundy County Lake Trail

3 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

Hudson Road Trail

2.22 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Manchester Walkway/Bikeway Trails

3.5 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Trail

3.54 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Prairie Lakes Trail

3.4 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

Riverside Trail (IA)

1.2 mi

State: IA

Asphalt

Riverview Recreation Area Trail

2.7 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Shaulis Road Trail

5.59 mi

State: IA

Concrete

South Tama Recreation Trail

5.6 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone, Dirt

Sweet Water Creek Trail

2 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

Trolley Trail (Waterloo)

1.4 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel

UNI Preserve Trail

0.8 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete

US 63 Trail

0.8 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Union Road Trail

1.01 mi

State: IA

Concrete

University Avenue Trail

3.1 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Trail Image	Trail Name	States	Length	Surface	Rating
	Big Woods Trail (IA) Cedar Falls, Iowa serves as the endpoint of one of Iowa’s favorite regional trails, the Cedar Valley Lakes Trail, but also features an extensive network of multi-use paths and on-street bike...	IA	1.9 mi	Concrete	3 reviews
	C.R. Roberts Memorial Trail The C.R Roberts Memorial Trail in Dysart picks up right on the western end of the Old Creamery Nature Trail which travels all the way to Vinton via Garrison. Unlike the latter trail, this trail is...	IA	1 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
	Cedar Valley Lakes Trail The Cedar Valley Lakes Trail follows a heavily wooded route along the Cedar River, passing Alice Wyth Lake, Fisher Lake, George Wyth Lake and Brinker Lake. The opportunities for recreation are...	IA	16 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	8 reviews
	Cedar Valley Nature Trail 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 Trail, and...	IA	70.6 mi	Asphalt	35 reviews
	Central City Trail (IA) 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	1 reviews
	Charley Western Recreational Trailway The Charley Western Recreational Trailway provides a useful off-road route around the outer limits of Charles City. Built on the site of the former Charles City Western Railway, the trail runs along...	IA	4 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
	Evansdale Nature Trail The Evansdale Nature Trail connects both residential and commercial areas in the northeastern Iowa city of Evansdale. One of the most charming aspects of the trail is the abundance of trees along its...	IA	1.9 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
	Gilbert Drive Trail Although only a mile long, the Gilbert Drive Trail is a key connector between two other trails in the northeastern Iowa community of Evansdale. To the west, it intersects with the Cedar Valley Nature...	IA	1 mi	Concrete	1 reviews
	Great American Rail-Trail 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	11 reviews
	Lone Tree Road Trail Forming an important connection in the area's excellent network of multi-use trails, the Lone Tree Road Trail parallels its namesake roadway for over two miles in the northern reaches of Cedar Falls,...	IA	2.31 mi	Concrete	1 reviews
	River's Edge Trail (IA) Following a former railroad corridor, the River's Edge Trail (formerly known as Iowa River Trail) will one day span 34 miles from Marshalltown in Marshall County to Steamboat Rock in Hardin County....	IA	7.1 mi	Concrete	3 reviews
	Rolling Prairie Trail When complete, the Rolling Prairie Tri-County Trail System will connect several communities and two state parks as it travels through quintessential northeastern Iowa prairie. The railroad on which...	IA	21 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	4 reviews
	Sergeant Road Trail The Sergeant Road Trail is part of the larger trails system in the Cedar Valley region of Iowa, which includes the cities of Cedar Falls and Waterloo. The trail parallels US 63—also known as Sergeant...	IA	9.9 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
	Shell Rock River Trail (Butler County Nature Trail) Part of the Rolling Prairie Trail, the Shell Rock River Trail (also known as the Butler County Nature Trail) connects the eastern edge of Clarksville with the community of Shell Rock. The trail runs...	IA	5.9 mi	Asphalt	3 reviews
	South Riverside Trail The South Riverside Trail is one in a series of trail systems throughout Cedar Falls, Iowa. Starting at the northern endpoint in Cedar Falls, the first section of the trail runs from Main street at...	IA	8 mi	Asphalt	2 reviews
	Waverly Rail Trail The Waverly Rail Trail offers a pleasant, small town–meets-rural experience as it travels for 7.6 miles from downtown Waverly to its eastern endpoint north of Denver. It is also part of the Rolling...	IA	7.6 mi	Asphalt	7 reviews
	Cedar Prairie Trail The Cedar Prairie Trail is an important component of the extensive trail system in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The paved pathway runs between the South Riverside Trail at Waterloo Road and the Sergeant Road...	IA	7.9 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	2 reviews
	Denver-Jefferson Trail The Denver-Jefferson Trail, also known as the Jefferson City Trail, offers a short north-south connector between the Waverly Rail Trail and the small city of Denver in eastern Iowa. At its southern...	IA	1.8 mi	Asphalt	2 reviews
	Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment) 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	15 mi	Asphalt, Grass, Gravel	7 reviews
	Iowa 330/US 30 Trail 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...	IA	11.1 mi	Concrete	6 reviews

Accordion

Linn Creek Recreational Trail The Linn Creek Recreational Trail offers a wide range of scenery—including forests, open fields, city parks, civic buildings and both industrial and residential areas—all while running never more than...	IA	10 mi	Asphalt	8 reviews
Old Creamery Nature Trail 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	7 reviews
Pine Lake Trail The Pine Lake Trail runs through a heavily wooded state park of the same name, which is especially known for its 250-year-old white pine trees. The trail begins at Deer Park, a half mile east of...	IA	2.4 mi	Concrete	3 reviews
Pioneer Trail (IA) Central Iowa's Pioneer Trail—which gets its name from the early settlers of Grundy County—is built on a former rail line that once connected the towns of Holland and Reinbeck and the communities in...	IA	11.5 mi	Crushed Stone	3 reviews
Readlyn Grump Trail The Readlyn Grump Trail offers a 6-mile paved path across Bremer County with views of open fields, several streams, and a bridge over Quarter Section Run. It begins at the terminus for the Waverly...	IA	6.3 mi	Asphalt	1 reviews
Wolf Creek Trail (IA) The Wolf Creek Trail begins in Gladbrook, a small city about 70 miles northeast of Des Moines. The trail was established in 2001 by volunteers from the Gladbrook community who secured the right-of-way...	IA	2.6 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	4 reviews
Boyson Trail 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	1 reviews
Comet Trail The Comet Trail is built upon an abandoned right-of-way of the old Chicago Northwestern Railroad. It runs for 7 miles between the town of Conrad (City Park) and just east of Beaman, traversing a...	IA	7 mi	Crushed Stone, Grass	3 reviews
12th Street Trail The 12th Street Trail, occasionally referred to as the Pheasant Ridge Trail after the golf course it runs next to, is a wide concrete sidepath that stretches from Hudson Road to Union Road on the...	IA	1.51 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
218 Trail Named for the U.S. Highway that the trail follows, the 218 Trail is far from the most scenic trail in the Waterloo area's impressive trail network, but it does form a very important connection in that...	IA	1.43 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
CEMAR Trail 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	0 reviews
Cedar Heights Drive Trail A short sidepath trail built along the side of its namesake roadway, the Cedar Heights Drive Trail provides a useful connection between the longer University Avenue Trail and the Greenhill Trail,...	IA	0.6 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Donald Street Trail Waterloo's Donald Street Trail is a concrete sidepath trail that helps to connect parks and neighborhoods in the city's northern edge with the area's trail network, enabling cyclists, joggers and...	IA	2.54 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Edgewood Trail 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	0 reviews
Ellis Trail 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	0 reviews
Great American Rail-Trail, Great Plains The Great Plains portion of the Great American Rail-Trail runs through Iowa and Nebraska for more than 500 miles and will comprise more than 1,060 when complete. The Great Plains region evokes...	IA, NE	567 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	0 reviews
Greenhill Trail Forging a link between the South Riverside Trail (and the smaller, unpaved Trolley Trail) on one end and the Cedar Prairie Trail on the other, the Greenhill Trail is a key component in the expansive...	IA	4.68 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Grundy County Lake Trail The Grundy County Lake Trail circles its namesake 40-acre lake, where outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy fishing, boating, and many other recreational opportunities. The paved trail then continues north,...	IA	3 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	0 reviews
Hudson Road Trail A multi-use sidepath that runs from University Avenue to 1st Street in Cedar Falls, the Hudson Road Trail helps provide off-road access to the campus of the University of Northern Iowa, and forms an...	IA	2.22 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Manchester Walkway/Bikeway Trails The Manchester Walkway/Bikeway Trails are a network of concrete paths that form a disconnected circuit around the small city of Manchester, Iowa. The pathway provides a great opportunity for cyclists...	IA	3.5 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Trail Built along the side of the roadway, the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Trail takes you from right outside the heart of Waterloo's urban riverside area into acres of beautiful, open Iowa farmland,...	IA	3.54 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Prairie Lakes Trail A lovely concrete and asphalt path that traverses through a pleasant, tree-lined corridor in the southern edge of Cedar Falls, the Prairie Lakes Trail offers plenty of means of recreation and serves...	IA	3.4 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	0 reviews
Riverside Trail (IA) Charles City's Riverside Trail runs for a little over a mile along the banks of the Cedar River, providing gorgeous views and recreational opportunities, as well as access to several city...	IA	1.2 mi	Asphalt	0 reviews
Riverview Recreation Area Trail Connecting Waterloo's urban center with a popular recreation area that supports the local ATV community, the Riverview Recreation Area Trail forms a vital link in the area's multi-use trail network...	IA	2.7 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Shaulis Road Trail The Shaulis Road Trail is a ten-foot wide concrete trail that runs along the side of Shaulis Road in the sparsely populated southern edge of Waterloo, IA. The trails runs over gentle, rolling hills,...	IA	5.59 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
South Tama Recreation Trail The South Tama Recreation Trail connects the adjacent towns of Tama and Toledo in Tama County, Iowa. The original section of the trail, a 1 mile stretch built on an abandoned railroad corridor, opened...	IA	5.6 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt	0 reviews
Sweet Water Creek Trail The Sweet Water Creek Trail provides an alternative way for Tripoli residents to access Sweet Marsh Wildlife Management Area without driving. The trail extends two miles from the heart of the city and...	IA	2 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	0 reviews
Trolley Trail (Waterloo) Black Hawk County’s Trolley Trail, also known as the Trolley Car Trail, runs for less than 2 miles in western Waterloo. The trail is the lone vestige of the Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern...	IA	1.4 mi	Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel	0 reviews
UNI Preserve Trail Right in the heart of the campus of the University of Northern Iowa, the UNI Preserve Trail offers a shockingly scenic trek through prairie and woodland, giving students the opportunity to escape into...	IA	0.8 mi	Asphalt, Concrete	0 reviews
US 63 Trail Constructed on the west side of the four-lane highway that gives it its name, the US 63 Trail offers a surprisingly pleasant means of traversing the busy corridor on foot or bike. While many sidepath...	IA	0.8 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
Union Road Trail Picking up from the end of the 1st Street Trail, the Union Road Trail continues the network of multi-use sidepath trails on the western edge of Cedar Falls, serving as the western section of a...	IA	1.01 mi	Concrete	0 reviews
University Avenue Trail Installed in 2018 as part of a major overhaul of the adjacent roadway, the University Avenue Trail provides convenient access to destinations on the corridor that were previously impossible to reach...	IA	3.1 mi	Concrete	0 reviews

Recent Trail Reviews

Old Creamery Nature Trail

Sunny Sunday ride

August, 2026 by traillink user

We parked at the trailhead in Dysart; first riding west to the end of the paved trail, then on to the main trail. The first several miles are not maintained all that well; lots of small sink holes that need repair, and one very large low portion completely flooded by recent rains. The trail is basically rural along its entirety; not much population nor competition with other users. We did occur several people walking dogs so be conscious of their needs. Sections where there is heavy shade, as well as exposed to the sun. Overall the trail is nice and relatively private. At the “midpoint” in Garrison, there is a nice rest stop that has water as another stated, as well as a bike repair station. Trail arrives in Vinton; not sure where it leads to there as we turned around. There’s are some sections where it’s clear the trail nee

Iowa 330/US 30 Trail

good trail

August, 2026 by vschmitz10

Follows the road but nicely maintained and keeps you off the highway

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail

The part we road was great. Unfortunately, 2 and a 1 miles down the path. There was a closure, and they were working on a bridge. Also, the past must close in in. The park further out

July, 2026 by kay1358

The part we road was great. Unfortunately, 2 and a 1 miles down the path. There was a closure, and they were working on a bridge. Also, the past must close in in. The park further out

Accordion

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

Great ride Laporte to Center Point

June, 2026 by lindag01bike

While I’d ridden the northern portion from Evansdale to Gilbertville which is a bit bumpy , this was my first ride past Urbana on newly paved trail. We started in LaPorte City and rode 26 miles to Center Point and back. Very nice smooth riding. Loved the coffee / ice cream shop right next to the trail in Urbana. Center Point has a restaurant just a block off the Iowa cross street . It’s a beautiful trail with lots of birds and we saw a couple deer. Plenty of other cyclists , more the further south we went. Great portion of the trail , I’ll look forward to exploring further south .

Waverly Rail Trail

Beautiful scenery but bumpy asphalt

June, 2026 by julieganser

Gorgeous wooded stretch from Waverly to the turn towards Denver. Bridges are perfectly smooth concrete. Unfortunately most of the asphalt has a weird ridged-like surface that made for a bumpy ride. What a shame.

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

quite rough

June, 2026 by julieganser

There’s some nice scenery but the asphalt is very rough in some parts. There’s a smooth stretch south of Waterloo…maybe 5 miles. We started at a park in Evansdale and intended on riding to Brandon but turned around at Gilbertsville…just wasn’t fun and there’s better trails in the area.

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail

incredible trail

June, 2026 by julieganser

We rode this trail on a beautiful summer day. It’s the best ride I’ve ever experienced. The scenery is gorgeous and the asphalt and concrete is perfectly smooth. We were mostly in the George Wyeth State Park area.

Great American Rail-Trail

Airbnb right on trail in Burgettstown

June, 2026 by dowiakp

Discovered this comfortable place with great accommodations for two bike travelers. They offer a pullout sofa if you do not wish to share a bed. Indoor bike storage with a comfy bed and a hot shower! Distillery right next-door and two restaurants to fuel up in the morning to get back on the trail. Close to the panhandle of West Virginia. Their name is Harmony Trail Haven on Airbnb.

Great American Rail-Trail

Highly recommend this beautiful and well kept trail. Beautiful to ride along the trees and over the 2 epic ohiopyle bridges.

May, 2026 by sarahraekratz

Highly recommend this beautiful and well kept trail. Beautiful to ride along the trees and over the 2 epic ohiopyle bridges.

Wolf Creek Trail (IA)

Walked part of the trail starting in Gladbtook yesterday 4/10/2026. Very nice trail enjoyed the walk. Very well maintained!

April, 2026 by beth19751210

Walked part of the trail starting in Gladbtook yesterday 4/10/2026. Very nice trail enjoyed the walk. Very well maintained!

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail

Great ride!

October, 2025 by gingerhikes

Idk why this trail doesn’t have more reviews. What a nice ride. Great mix of woodland and a little bit of urban. We rode from Black Hawk Park (BHP) to Waterloo with an excursion around Big Woods Lake for a total almost 30 miles round trip. In Waterloo went to Single Speed for lunch(don’t get Pizza), easy to get to. Trail is well maintained. Had no problems with bugs until the end about 2:30 p.m. when we got back to BHP and got nto grass and the No-seeums were bad! Pretty good directional signs along the way!

Old Creamery Nature Trail

Nice evening ride

June, 2025 by traillink user

While this is not the first ride on this trail, it is a more seasonal ride. First and foremost, e we started in early spring from Dysart. The weather was not great, nor was the trail; very soft and potholes everywhere fire a mile. We turned around. Today however, we took some mild “advice” from another reviewer; started in Garrison and headed east. VERY well-maintained trail. Trail bed is wide, mature, manicured, etc. The substrate is very even and surface not lumpy nor pock-marked. While there were many branches overhanging the trail bed, the relief the wooded nature provided was very welcome in the summer heat. Very pleased, we’ll be back many more times to come. To this point, I foresee much opportunity in the winter with snowshoes and/or x-country skis.

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