|
The Pony Hollow Trail in the northeastern Iowa city of Elkader offers a scenic route through woodlands and wetlands along the former Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad bed. The western half of...
|
IA |
3.6 mi |
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
|
|
|
The Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail follows part of the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad corridor, which traces its origins as far back as 1866. Its history lives on in...
|
IA |
20 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
Closure Notice: A section of the trail from Linden to Redfield is closed until Spring/Summer 2024 due to bridge repair. See RaccoonRiverValleyTrail.org or the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association...
|
IA |
88.2 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete
|
|
|
The Ringgold Trailway connects the eastern edge of the small city of Mount Ayr with Poe Hollow County Park, a little less than 2 miles away. The trail was built on a former railroad right-of-way, and...
|
IA |
2 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
The Rock Island Old Stone Arch Nature Trail travels nearly 4 miles along an asphalt path atop a former railbed once owned by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Starting near an I-80 on-ramp,...
|
IA |
3.75 mi |
Asphalt, Crushed Stone
|
|
|
The Russell White Nature Trail runs for nearly 4 miles through a landscape of forest, pasture and prairie and links the tiny community of Lanesboro with open space to the southwest of the town. The...
|
IA |
3.8 mi |
Ballast, Grass
|
|
|
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 Sauk Rail Trail offers some of the best riding in rural, west-central Iowa. The paved 33-mile trail is capped at either end by a state park and offers a diverse mix of views and experiences in...
|
IA |
33.2 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The SolonLake 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 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
|
|
|
The Spencer Recreational Trail traverses scenic wetlands and prairies on the outskirts of the small city of Spencer, offering users a peaceful, paved path along the Little Sioux River.
The trail...
|
IA |
15.2 mi |
Concrete
|
|
|
The Summerset Trail links the two central Iowa communities of Indianola and Carlisle, both of which have embraced the trail, including providing helpful signs at each end with clear directions for...
|
IA |
12 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
The T-Bone Trail stretches nearly 20 miles between Audubon and Pymosa township in western Iowa. The paved pathway follows a former railroad right-of-way and offers beautiful countryside views. On the...
|
IA |
19.6 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
The Three Rivers Trail runs for nearly 40 miles from the small community of Rolfe—named after the early English settler who married Pocahontas—to just west of Eagle Grove. The mostly rural trail is...
|
IA |
39.9 mi |
Crushed Stone
|
|
|
The Trout Run Trail provides an experience unique to any other in Iowa, with a hilly landscape that reminds trail users of the meteorite that struck the area long ago. The trail actually loops all the...
|
IA |
11 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete
|
|
|
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...
|
IA |
12.5 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
Overview
The Wabash Trace Nature Trail offers an amazing trip through the rural forests and countryside of southwest Iowa. The trail stretches 63 miles from Council Bluffs (just outside of Omaha,...
|
IA |
63 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
|
|
|
The Wapsi–Great Western Line Trail is a 27-mile pathway on the former Chicago Great Western Railroad. The trail passes through a plethora of backdrops, including wide, rolling landscapes, Iowa...
|
IA |
27 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The Winnebago Trail provides the residents of Mason City with a safe, off-road link to nature, winding 3.7 miles from East Park and through residential areas to the Lime Creek Nature Center as it...
|
IA |
3.7 mi |
Crushed Stone
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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...
|
IA |
13.5 mi |
Cinder, Crushed Stone
|
|
|
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
Built on a former section of the Chicago Great Western Railroad (built in 1893), the Great Western Trail spans 19 miles between Des Moines and Martensdale.
About the Route
The...
|
IA |
19 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete
|
|
|
The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail traverses classic Iowa farmland along the former route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The trail transitions...
|
IA |
25.8 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
|
|
|
The Iowa Great Lakes resort on the northern border with Minnesota is a longtime destination for fishermen and vacationers who arrived from big cities by rail. Dickinson County employed two different...
|
IA |
26.2 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
The Lake Manawa Trail in Council Bluffs links the city's industrial core along US 275 with Lake Manawa State Park, a popular destination for hiking, camping, boating, fishing and swimming. In the...
|
IA |
7.5 mi |
Asphalt, Concrete
|
|
|
The Lamoni Rail-Trail, also called the Lamoni Recreation Trail, is a delightful route through the downtown area, with a side loop through the campus of Graceland University. You can begin the trail at...
|
IA |
4.7 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Iowa's Yellow River State Forest contains a sprawling network of hiking, equestrian and bicycle trails. The Paint Creek Trail, which occupies a segment of an abandoned railroad corridor, is the only...
|
IA |
2.5 mi |
Dirt
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The Puddle Jumper Trail is a 2 mile long rail-trail that connects the western Iowa communities of Orange City and Alton. The trail is surfaced with crushed quartzite and also features a bridle path...
|
IA |
2 mi |
Crushed Stone
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The Rock Creek Recreation Bike Trail is a paved multi-use trail that provides a connection between the small, charming college town of Grinnell and Rock Creek State Park, a popular destination for...
|
IA |
5.8 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The Flint River Trail, when complete, will run for about 18 miles between downtown Burlington, Iowa, and the Big Hollow Creek Recreation Area in the northern part of Des Moines County. The trail will...
|
IA |
9.6 mi |
Crushed Stone
|
|
|
The best place to begin the Trolley Trail is in Mason City in Ray Rorick Skate Park, located adjacent to the 81-acre Lester Milligan Park, which has two fishing and swimming ponds, hiking and biking...
|
IA |
7.5 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
Running through a beautiful expanse of woods and fields just a short distance east of Denison, Iowa, the Wheels to Heels Trail offers residents and visitors to this western Iowa community an...
|
IA |
3.8 mi |
Concrete
|
|
|
The Ed Winkel Memorial Trail runs for nearly 5 miles from the small town of Sibley in Osceola County, Iowa to just west of the unincorporated community of Allendorf. Offering a hint at much of Iowa's...
|
IA |
4.7 mi |
Gravel
|
|
|
The Galloping Goose Trail is so called for the nickname of the old railroad that once ran through the area and upon which the trail sits. As of 2012, about 0.5 mile of trail have been built northeast...
|
IA |
0.5 mi |
Ballast, Dirt, Grass
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
The Hubbard Prairie Trail is a one-mile rail-trail extending from the northwest edge of the small town of Hubbard in central Iowa to the Meier Wildlife Refuge. The refuge offers a pleasant place to...
|
IA |
1.3 mi |
Crushed Stone
|
|
|
The Praeri Rail Trail runs on an old section of railroad right-of-way between Zearing and Roland in central Iowa. Sections of the trail near Roland and McCallsburg have a crushed limestone surface,...
|
IA |
10.5 mi |
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
|
|
|
Although short, the Reumpers Nature Trail runs under a beautiful canopy of trees along the former Chicago Northwestern Railroad in Radcliffe, a small town in central Iowa.
|
IA |
0.3 mi |
Cinder
|
|
|
The Riverside Trail (or Riverside Park Trail) meanders alongside Middle Raccoon River. The trail begins on Velvet Avenue and 320th Street in Coon Rapids, Iowa and wanders into the riparian woodland on...
|
IA |
3.5 mi |
Asphalt
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|