Iowa Fishing Trails and Maps

808 Reviews

Looking for the best Fishing trails around Iowa?

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

City Trails and Maps in Iowa

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
40 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Bear River Recreation Trail

5.6 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Bergfeld Recreation Trail

1.8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail

16 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Dubuque Jaycees Trail

1.28 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Evansdale Nature Trail

1.9 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

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

Green Valley Lake Trail

3.5 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Harry Cook Nature Trail

2 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Heritage Trail (IA)

29.2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Kewash Nature Trail

13.8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Mark C. Ackelson Trail

6 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Mississippi River Trail (Riverdale to Davenport)

14.3 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Ottumwa Trail System

10.2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Pleasant Valley Trail

4.5 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Pony Hollow Trail

3.6 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Raccoon River Valley Trail

88.2 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Russell White Nature Trail

3.8 mi
State: IA
Ballast, Grass

South Riverside Trail

8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Spencer Recreational Trail

15.2 mi
State: IA
Concrete
Accordion

Three Rivers Trail

39.9 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Trout Run Trail

11 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Union Bridge Trail

1.7 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Wabash Trace Nature Trail

63 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Wapsi-Great Western Line Trail

27 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Park to Park Trail

4.4 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Pine Lake Trail

2.4 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Rock Creek Recreation Bike Trail

5.8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Cedar River Greenbelt Trail

4 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Comet Trail

7 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone, Grass

Competine Trail

0.9 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Lake Pahoja Trail

3.7 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Wheels to Heels Trail

3.8 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Dovetail Recreation Trail

1.3 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Green Meadows North Trail

1.02 mi
State: IA
Asphalt

Grundy County Lake Trail

3 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Mill Creek Fitness Trail

0.8 mi
State: IA
Concrete

North Atlantic Trails System

5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Gravel

Prairie Lakes Trail

3.4 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete

Riverside Park Trail (IA)

3.5 mi
State: IA
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The Bear River Recreation Trail follows part of the Maquoketa River outside of Spragueville and Preston, through bucolic countryside of woodlands, farms and river lowlands. You can start the trail in...
IA 5.6 mi Crushed Stone
Nestled amidst the suburban landscape on the western outskirts of Dubuque, the Bergfeld Recreation Area is a 30-acre park with playgrounds, fishing spots on the Bergfeld Pond, and the Bergfeld...
IA 1.8 mi Asphalt
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
The Dubuque Jaycees Trail runs for just over a mile from Pyatigorsk Park (named for a Russian sister city to Dubuque) up to the 8-acre A.Y. McDonald Park, a popular fishing and boat launch spot...
IA 1.28 mi Asphalt
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
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
The Green Valley Lake Trail is a developing multi-use trail around the perimeter of its namesake lake, located within the popular Green Valley State Park just north of Creston, Iowa. As of 2019, the...
IA 3.5 mi Concrete
The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...
IA 2 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The Heritage Trail rolls along like a dream for nearly 30 miles from the Mississippi River town of Dubuque to Dyersville, home of the movie set for Field of Dreams. Along the way, it...
IA 29.2 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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
It may be hard to believe now when you see children laughing on the playground and neighbors out on a morning jog but Easter Lake and the park that surrounds it sit on the site of a coal mine that...
IA 6 mi Concrete
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
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,...
IA 10.2 mi Asphalt
The Pleasant Valley Trail is a network of paved, multi-use trail that runs for over four miles throughout the rural city of Ida Grove in western Iowa. Sections of the trail follow the Maple River,...
IA 4.5 mi Concrete
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
On the western outskirts of Des Moines, the Raccoon River Valley Trail offers a quintessential central Iowa experience. Over its 88.2-mile span, trail users can traverse woodlands, prairie, and...
IA 88.2 mi Asphalt, 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 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 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
Accordion
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
Connecting the small Iowa town of Correctionville to one of Woodbury County's most popular recreation sites, Little Sioux Park, the Union Bridge Trail provides over a mile and a half of paved,...
IA 1.7 mi Concrete
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
So named because it travels between McKinley Park in Creston and Green Valley State Park to the north of town, the Park to Park Trail provides over four miles of paved, multi-use trail to help connect...
IA 4.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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
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 Cedar River Greenbelt Trail snakes along the west side of the river between Osage and Mitchell. The limestone trail is suitable for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. The trail is open...
IA 4 mi 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 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...
IA 0.9 mi Asphalt
A concrete, multi-use trail that forms a loop through the Lake Pahoja Recreation Area, the Lake Pahoja Trail offers a nice pathway in an off-the-beaten-path corner of northwest Iowa. The 72-acre lake...
IA 3.7 mi Concrete
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 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
Running through suburban neighborhoods on the western edge of Johnston, IA, the Green Meadows North Trail offers a pleasant dose of nature and serves as a great recreational amenity for nearby...
IA 1.02 mi Asphalt
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
*Please note: Flooding in September 2018 resulted in damage to the section of trail that crosses Mill Creek. Please check with local officials for current trail conditions* Linking the small, rural...
IA 0.8 mi Concrete
Just north of the small Iowa city of Atlantic, a sprawling network of concrete multi-use trails have been built, enabling cyclists and pedestrians to safely explore the lovely natural landscape around...
IA 5 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Gravel
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
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

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Recent Trail Reviews

First Ave Trail

It's a nice smooth surface. I have read reports of issues with inappropriate activities by homeless but it has been relatively quiet each time we've taken it.

June, 2025 by mdhbmv1

It's a nice smooth surface. I have read reports of issues with inappropriate activities by homeless but it has been relatively quiet each time we've taken it.

Clear Creek Trail (IA)

Great trail

June, 2025 by shap

The trail construction around the I-80-I-380 interchange is done and the trail construction is complete. This is a great way to spend a morning biking!

Fort Dodge Nature Trail

More than expected

June, 2025 by shap

This trail has been extended all the way to Badger IA. Everything North of 170th street is nice new 10 foot wide concrete, they have done a great job of updating the old trail and bridges.

Accordion

High Trestle Trail

Beautiful

May, 2025 by sjf0809

Since I was traveling through the area on my way back to Ohio, I made a point of seeing the bridge with its fancy artwork. It was worth it. Weather didn't allow me to do much more than Madrid to Woodward and back. The cement trail was wide and clean. The bridge was great. There are informational signs before and on the bridge. After dark (and a rainstorm) I went from the trail parking lot in Madrid to across the bridge, to the viewing area and back. The 30 mph winds made it very breezy while on the bridge, but the lights made it so cool. I would encourage others to see it in daylight and again when the lights are on.

Kewash Nature Trail

Nice ride

May, 2025 by shap

We rode the full trail from Washington to Keota, Over all a great afternoon ride. A couple of gophers holes to dodge, but the trail is in pretty good shape.

Neal Smith Trail

Great in Des Moines

May, 2025 by tschmidt627

Took my road bike from Johnston to Des Moines. The parts close to Johnston are pretty bumpy. The bumps aren't ideal, but it's nothing unbearable. The closer you get to Des Moines, the smoother it gets. Awesome route by the river.

Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail

Definitely a few rough areas but overall a nice path. If you're coming from the Calmer side the path markings in Ridgeway are non existent (turn left, not right) so you might have some issues there. The markings are much better coming from Cresco

May, 2025 by jhicok_tl

Definitely a few rough areas but overall a nice path. If you're coming from the Calmer side the path markings in Ridgeway are non existent (turn left, not right) so you might have some issues there. The markings are much better coming from Cresco

Heart of Iowa Nature Trail

Spring 2025 update

May, 2025 by patrickhconnor

Heart of Iowa trail is now paved concrete from Huxley to Collins. It’s a great 33 miles RT ride with great views of Iowa farmland. Sidetrip in Maxwell to see Story County Freedom Rock (all 99 Iowa counties have a mural painted rock) and refuel in Collins at Sweet Oaks Bakery + Bistro.

Clive Greenbelt Trail

Great Trail but mostly closed for 2025

May, 2025 by mhewett001

We have biked this trail and enjoyed it many times on our trips to Des Moines. Planned to bike it this time but when we arrived at the Campbell recreation area, we found out that it is closed all the way to NW 100th St. for the entirety of 2025 due to Construction on the interstate. There was no map of the detour at the recreation area, where the detour starts. There are good signs marking where the detour goes, but no indication of how far off the trail or for how long. Some of the detour is on other trails, but some of those trails go right along busy For Lane streets. I wouldn’t recommend the detour for anything but getting from one place to another, not for rec.

Great American Rail-Trail

Warden to Lind

April, 2025 by howmarplus3

Ok section, kind of dull. Agriculture & cows. Found a bit of shade by a grain elevator for lunch. Several washouts filled with tumbleweeds as you get closer to Lind.

Skunk River Trail

quiet trail

November, 2024 by hawkman275_tl

This trail has much less use than others in town. Watch out for the many deer

High Trestle Trail to Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector

Spectacular New Connector Trail from Woodward to Perry

October, 2024 by sringlee

The Woodward-to-Perry Connector in the High Trestle Trail was long planned, requiring new bridges, land acquisition/donation and careful design. The result is spectacular. I rode this today on a cool Autumn day through harvested farm fields and along streams. The views are superb. The trail surface (paved concrete) is top notch. It crosses a few well-marked country roads but otherwise is a dedicated nature trail for hiking and biking. The entire route from Woodward to Perry is separated path except for two blocks of residential side street in Bouton. Although brand new, this trail is seeing use: groups of cyclists went by; numerous hikers and runners were out; and small kids on bikes near Perry were using it. It exits into residential streets in Perry that are well signposted to guide one to downtown or to the other trails beginning in Perry. Hats off to the County board of supervisors and the numerous volunteers and donors who made this happen.

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