Iowa
The Tall Corn State
There are more than 263 hiking and trekking trails in Iowa, covering a total of 5262 miles.
Most popular trails Iowa:
Maquoketa Caves State Park Loop: 2.4 miles, easy. This trail winds through the sandstone bluffs of Maquoketa Caves State Park, with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Backbone State Park Loop: 4.5 miles, moderate. This trail takes hikers through a variety of terrain, including forests, prairies, and limestone bluffs.
Ledges State Park Loop: 4.2 miles, moderate. This trail winds through the dramatic sandstone ledges of Ledges State Park, with plenty of opportunities for rock climbing and scrambling.
Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail: 12 miles, difficult. This trail is for experienced hikers only, and offers a challenging hike through the forests and bluffs of Yellow River State Forest.
Preparation Canyon State Park Overnight Route: 5 miles, difficult. This trail is for experienced hikers only, and offers a challenging overnight hike through the rugged terrain of Preparation Canyon State Park.
Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, and Badger Ridge Trail Loop in Maquoketa Caves State Park: 4.4 miles, difficult. This trail offers a challenging hike through a variety of terrain, including sandstone bluffs, forests, and prairies.
Wildcat Den Trail in Wildcat Den State Park: 2.8 miles, difficult. This trail is a challenging hike through the rugged terrain of Wildcat Den State Park, with plenty of opportunities for rock scrambling.
Brown's Woods Trail in Brown's Woods State Park: 4.2 miles, difficult. This trail is a challenging hike through the forests and prairies of Brown's Woods State Park.
Effigy Mounds National Monument: 10 miles, easy. This trail offers a variety of easy hikes through the scenic Effigy Mounds National Monument.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge: 8 miles, easy. This trail offers a variety of easy hikes through the scenic Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
Walnut Woods State Park Loop: 1.9 miles, easy. This trail is an easy loop trail that winds through the forests of Walnut Woods State Park.
Greenbelt Bike Trail: 12 miles, easy. This trail is an easy paved trail that follows the Des Moines River.
Big Creek Greenbelt Trail: 10 miles, easy. This trail is an easy paved trail that follows Big Creek.
Best trails for certain activities:
Hiking: The Maquoketa Caves State Park Loop is an easy 2.4-mile trail that winds through the sandstone bluffs of Maquoketa Caves State Park. The Backbone State Park Loop is a moderate 4.5-mile trail that takes hikers through a variety of terrain, including forests, prairies, and limestone bluffs. The Ledges State Park Loop is another moderate 4.2-mile trail that winds through the dramatic sandstone ledges of Ledges State Park.
Rock climbing: The Ledges State Park Loop and the Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail are both popular rock climbing destinations in Iowa. The Ledges State Park Loop has several rock faces that are suitable for climbing, while the Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail has more remote rock faces that are perfect for experienced climbers.
Mountain biking: The Greenbelt Bike Trail is a paved trail that follows the Des Moines River for 12 miles. The Big Creek Greenbelt Trail is another paved trail that follows Big Creek for 10 miles. The Walnut Woods State Park Loop is an easy 1.9-mile trail that is perfect for mountain biking.
Bird watching: The Effigy Mounds National Monument is a great place to see a variety of birds, including eagles, hawks, and owls. The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is another great place to bird watch, with over 200 species of birds that have been seen in the refuge. Lake MacBride State Park is also a good place to bird watch, with over 150 species of birds that have been seen in the park.
Camping: The Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail and the Preparation Canyon State Park Overnight Route are both great trails for camping. The Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail is a 12-mile trail that offers a variety of camping spots, while the Preparation Canyon State Park Overnight Route is a 5-mile trail that has a single camping area. Backbone State Park Loop and Lake MacBride State Park are also good places to camp, with both parks having multiple campsites.
Most challenging trails:
Yellow River State Forest Backpack Trail: This 12-mile trail is for experienced hikers only. It offers a challenging hike through the forests and bluffs of Yellow River State Forest.
Preparation Canyon State Park Overnight Route: This 5-mile trail is for experienced hikers only. It offers a challenging overnight hike through the rugged terrain of Preparation Canyon State Park.
Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, and Badger Ridge Trail Loop in Maquoketa Caves State Park: This 4.4-mile trail offers a challenging hike through a variety of terrain, including sandstone bluffs, forests, and prairies.
Wildcat Den Trail in Wildcat Den State Park: This 2.8-mile trail is a challenging hike through the rugged terrain of Wildcat Den State Park, with plenty of opportunities for rock scrambling.
Brown's Woods Trail in Brown's Woods State Park: This 4.2-mile trail is a challenging hike through the forests and prairies of Brown's Woods State Park.
Most scenic trails:
Maquoketa Caves State Park Loop: This 2.4-mile trail winds through the sandstone bluffs of Maquoketa Caves State Park, with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Backbone State Park Loop: This 4.5-mile trail takes hikers through a variety of terrain, including forests, prairies, and limestone bluffs. The trail offers stunning views of the Des Moines River Valley.
Ledges State Park Loop: This 4.2-mile trail winds through the dramatic sandstone ledges of Ledges State Park, with plenty of opportunities for rock climbing and scrambling. The trail offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Effigy Mounds National Monument: This 10-mile trail offers a variety of easy hikes through the scenic Effigy Mounds National Monument. The trail offers stunning views of the Mississippi River Valley.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge: This 8-mile trail offers a variety of easy hikes through the scenic Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. The trail offers stunning views of the Loess Hills.
Most family-friendly trails:
Backbone State Park Loop:This 4.5-mile trail is a moderate trail that is perfect for families.The trail offers a variety of terrain, including forests, prairies, and limestone bluffs.The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow.There are several points of interest along the trail, including the Backbone Arch, the Balanced Rock, and the Indian Cave.There are also several places to stop and take in the views, including the overlook at the top of the bluffs.
Ledges State Park Loop:This 4.2-mile trail is a moderate trail that is perfect for families.The trail winds through the dramatic sandstone ledges of Ledges State Park.The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow.There are several places to stop and take in the views, including the overlook at the top of the ledges.There is also a rock climbing area near the trailhead.
Both the Backbone State Park Loop and the Ledges State Park Loop are great options for families. They are both moderate trails that offer a variety of terrain and scenery. The trails are well-maintained and easy to follow, and there are several places to stop and take in the views.
Most family-friendly trails:
Walnut Woods State Park Loop: This 1.9-mile trail is an easy loop trail that winds through the forests of Walnut Woods State Park. The trail is paved and has several accessible parking spots near the trailhead.
Lake MacBride State Park: This park has several accessible trails, including the 1.4-mile Lake MacBride Trail and the 0.7-mile Woodland Trail. Both trails are paved and have accessible parking spots near the trailhead.
Hitchcock Nature Center: This nature center has a 1-mile accessible trail that winds through the woods and prairies. The trail is paved and has accessible parking spots near the trailhead.
Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt: This greenbelt has a 1.8-mile accessible trail that follows a creek through the woods. The trail is paved and has accessible parking spots near the trailhead.
Big Creek Greenbelt Trail: This 10-mile trail is mostly paved and has several accessible sections. There are accessible parking spots near the trailheads at both ends of the trail.
Where to get permits for trails Iowa:
State parks: Contact the park office for more information. Phone numbers and website addresses can be found on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website: https://dnr.iowa.gov/.National forests: Contact the forest service office for more information. Phone numbers and website addresses can be found on the U.S. Forest Service website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.State wildlife management areas: Contact the wildlife department office for more information. Phone numbers and website addresses can be found on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website: https://dnr.iowa.gov/.
