Find the top rated atv trails in Iowa, whether you're looking for an easy short atv trail or a long atv trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a atv trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
We rode the middle of the trail on two consecutive days because we loved the trail so much. Lots of benches and restrooms, very scenic with tons of shade even at one in the afternoon. The prettiest section was from Durango west for 8 miles. You ride along the creek and I and out of high bluffs on both sides of the trail. The trail has about a 1% grade up riding west and prevailing winds tend to be out of the west so recommend starting at either Sageville or Durango and riding west depending on how far you want to ride. This trail rates in my top 3 trails in the Midwest. Hubby and I have ridden over 120 trails and generally do a 20-25 mile trip each time we ride. Reward yourself and eat at Brazen for dinner.
We rode the segment from the I-74 bridge to Credit Island. The trail is in good shape and there are great views of the river most of the way. The part from I-74 to the Centennial bridge was a little crowded on a beautiful Sunday but the rest of the ride there were very few people.
We start this trail in Clear Lake and walk toward Mason City. The things I like about this trail are that is paved, is separate and away from the road so you are not right next to traffic, there is a bench partway down, and it is longer than a lot of the other local trails. The things I don’t like about the trail is that it is noisy because it’s along the side of a highway, it’s mostly open with minimal shade, and it’s not as scenic as some other trails. It’s great to connect Clear Lake to Mason and has been helpful for us to increase our walking distance.
Did this trail last weekend starting in Dyersville. Crushed limestone makes it tough for road bikes. Very buggy. Really needs to be paved.
Have ridden this many times. Went yesterday & they have paved a portion of it on way to West Chester.
Trail is straight little to no grade. We always see deer, chipmunks, birds & snakes.
Unpaved ,portion is pretty much dirt packed with little to no pea rock. Rutted in spots bc of rains.
Overall a decent trail. Hope to see more improvements!
Lovely easy walk through the forestry area. Nice and cool despite the heat.
Narrow paved trail that winds through the trees.. It was a little muddy when I went, stay on the trail
It's a great trail and can't add much more that what's already been said. The southern and western portion of loop is hilly with great scenery. The trail goes by downtown and close to several restaurants, bars, shops and ice cream places. I've ridden this trail in summer of 2020 and 2021 and most sections of this trail does not have shade trees and got quite hot in the afternoon. That is the only downside I can think of.
Saturday May 21, 2022 -- my first time to check out this trail. I rode out about 10 miles, starting in Dubuque's Comiskey Park, and returning for about 22 miles round trip. The four miles nearest DBQ were paved, the rest well maintained crushed limestone. Not at all crowded (50F temp) and a very pleasant ride. Once you are a few miles from DBQ, the scenery is sweet and keeps changing. I will be back, for sure! Enjoy the ride.
Grade the trail! This review serves as a guide so that you know what condition the trail is in before you go. Here are the ratings:
A – Excellent condition, new or like-new.
B – Very good condition, not new, but still a great trail.
C – Fair condition, starting to see a fair amount of ruts, bumps or heaves.
D – Poor condition, lots of ruts, bumps or heaves.
F – Very poor condition, would not recommend riding this trail at all.
The hot western IA summer sun wreaks havoc on this mostly asphalt trail. LOTS of ruts. There is a 3 mile (approx) section north of Exira that is concrete. On the basis of trail surface alone, that section would get a (B) rating. A substantial portion of this trail (1/3 to 1/2?) runs amongst the trees. They do not blow the sticks off of the trail. When they mow the grass along the trail, they do not blow it off. Be aware of the bridge abutments, most all are very rough - some have a 2 inch bump. The gravel road crossings are not paved, which is to be expected on a rural trail. In addition, there are 3 short sections where you will be riding on gravel. One in particular to watch out for is near the I-80 interchange where the asphalt trail in completely covered with gravel. This would be an awesome rail-trail if it were repaired and maintained!
Overall rating: C/D
Feel free to copy this format and grade other trails as desired.
Not that much shaded areas but it was a good time.. very windy at times cause it’s next to the river.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
