Iowa Mountain Biking Trails and Maps

830 Reviews

Looking for the best Mountain Biking trails around Iowa?

Find the top rated mountain biking trails in Iowa, whether you're looking for an easy short mountain biking trail or a long mountain biking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a mountain biking 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
27 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Bear River Recreation Trail

5.6 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Copper Creek Trail

0.75 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Fairfield Loop Trail

16 mi
State: IA
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Fort Dodge Nature Trail

2.6 mi
State: IA
Cinder

Grant Wood Trail (Jones County Segment)

2.7 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

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

Harry Cook Nature Trail

2 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Mapleleaf Pathway

1.5 mi
State: IA
Grass, Gravel

Pony Hollow Trail

3.6 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Russell White Nature Trail

3.8 mi
State: IA
Ballast, Grass

Solon-Lake Macbride Recreation Trail

5.3 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Wabash Trace Nature Trail

63 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Cinder Path

13.5 mi
State: IA
Cinder, Crushed Stone

Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment)

15 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Grass, Gravel

Heart of Iowa Nature Trail

25.8 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Old Creamery Nature Trail

15.3 mi
State: IA
Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Paint Creek Trail (IA)

2.5 mi
State: IA
Dirt

Pine Lake Trail

2.4 mi
State: IA
Concrete

Pioneer Trail (IA)

11.5 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Comet Trail

7 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone, Grass
Accordion

Hoover Nature Trail

27.7 mi
State: IA
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

Prairie Land Trail

13.6 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Ed Winkel Memorial Trail

4.7 mi
State: IA
Gravel

Galloping Goose Trail (IA)

0.5 mi
State: IA
Ballast, Dirt, Grass

Hubbard Prairie Trail

1.3 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone

Praeri Rail Trail

10.5 mi
State: IA
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Reumpers Nature Trail

0.3 mi
State: IA
Cinder
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
The Copper Creek Trail runs for a short distance from the town of Preston, heading northwest along Copper Creek to meet with the Bear River Recreation Trail. You'll find a nice picnic spot with a...
IA 0.75 mi Crushed Stone
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....
IA 16 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Fort Dodge Nature Trail begins at the city's Snell-Crawford Park and runs northeast for nearly 9 miles. The trail travels adjacent to overhead power lines and crosses a couple of bridges over...
IA 2.6 mi Cinder
Nearly 3 miles of the Grant Wood Trail in Jones County has been constructed so far (2012) along a former Milwaukee Road right-of-way in Marion and Olin. The trail is named for the early 20th-century...
IA 2.7 mi Crushed Stone
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 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
The Mapleleaf Pathway is located in the small community of Diagonal, Iowa. The trail occupies an abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway corridor, which once formed part of a larger system that...
IA 1.5 mi Grass, Gravel
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 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 Solon–Lake 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 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, Nebraska) all...
IA 63 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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 15 mi Asphalt, Grass, Gravel
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 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 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
Accordion
The Hoover Nature Trail is a developing rail-trail in southeastern Iowa being built on a former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The trail is named for President Herbert Hoover,...
IA 27.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel
The Prairie Land Trail follows an abandoned railroad corridor 13.6 miles between 240th Street in Mason City and 1st Street S in Thornton. With a surface of crushed limestone, the rail-trail runs...
IA 13.6 mi Crushed Stone
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 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

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Recent Trail Reviews

Sugar Creek Trail (IA)

Nice but very hilly!

September, 2025 by cfarrar11

A beautiful trail that goes behind Sugar Creek Golf Course. The only drawback for me were the steep hills.

Neal Smith Trail

Great trail

August, 2025 by dpate

I have ridden this trail many times over the years. I rode it again in early August 2025. I noticed a lot of new cement near Cherry Glen area. The hills seem to get bigger as I get older! I rate it 5 stars! Traveling cyclist Facebook

Great Western Trail (IA)

Rough Road

August, 2025 by douglewis2000

I rode the trail several times in May June and early July 2025. It has been poorly maintained compared to other trails in Central Iowa and as a result it has a lot of rough spots with big cracks and holes. It’s a beautiful view along the way but the lack of maintenance and the data center s are a big detraction

Accordion

Skunk River Trail

Skunk River

August, 2025 by dpate

This trail is short but sweet. I rode it on a Saturday in early August 2025 and there were very few people on it. Very enjoyable! I rate it 5 stars!
Traveling cyclist
Facebook

High Trestle Trail to Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector

Super trail!

July, 2025 by dpate

I rode this trail in Sept 2024 before I knew it existed. I left a review on the HTT. SUPER connector trail between two great 5 star trails. I rode it on a weekday in late July 2025 and never saw a soul but I did see some wildlife.
I rate this 5 stars!

Traveling cyclist
Facebook

Clive Greenbelt Trail

Trail Closed

July, 2025 by bcm8dfd6p2

Trail is closed from Campbell park eastward. Detour signs do not take you around the closure. Trail is closed through October 2025.

Little River Scenic Pathway

High quality trail - no lighting

July, 2025 by blake36

This is a high-quality, wide trail, mostly winding through trees, and an open area at the top of the hill past the cemetery. Hills are fairly steep. There are no lights on the trail, so at night most of it is quite dark. I went for it anyway, and it's nearly pitch black in places, but because the path is so well done, I still had no problems tripping on holes or branches. (A little nerve-wracking, but no physical troubles.)

Duck Creek Recreational Trail

west end under construction!

July, 2025 by brubin

We started the duck creek trail at the west trailhead. There had been an ef2 tornado three days earlier, so we did have to go around some downed tree limbs. But about 1/2 mile down the trail, it was closed due to what appears to be a new road construction. Since we could see where the trail might start again, we drove to the eastern riverdale trailhead. Glad we did. GREAT trail. Scenic and shady which was good since it was 85 and humid.

Red Rock Prairie Trail

great trail plus more

July, 2025 by bricker.pam

Great trail, flat and smooth. Monroe has Jersey Freeze about 1/2 mile from trailhead- best ice cream esp the Van and Bonbon shake. Then Prairicty has Goldie’s restaurant which has the best tenderloin sandwiches and strips. The trailhead in prairie city is at west end of town by Casey’s gas. It has running water and real toilets . Has an oversized steel buffalo for a great photo shoot. You can continue your ride following the road to up and over the bridge to south of trailhead and then immediately left into the Neil Smith Wildlif Refuge- designated bike lanes on each side of roar and a 4+ mile pedal to the educational center. There are a few good hills to challenge you. Look to west and you might see the buffalo and elk.

Heart of Iowa Nature Trail

Huxley to Collins

July, 2025 by mmnjmck

The trail is now all concrete from Huxley to Collins (used to turn to cinder just past Cambridge over the Skunk River bridge). Great ride and a mix of sun and shade. Not too hilly or flat. Trail is in great shape as it is new concrete. Parking and bathroom facility in Huxley at the Railroad Park. 34 mile round trip to Collins. Highly recommend.

I-74 Bridge Bike and Pedestrian Path

74 new bridge

July, 2025 by 9jnrq4tyfb

This is a great view and look out. It now connects the Ia trail and Illinois trails it’s a good ride!

Old Creamery Nature Trail

Nice evening ride

June, 2025 by dvzvkff6jj

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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