Map of regional recreational trails in Iowa
Regional recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Iowa
Regional Recreational Trails, Iowa
Click on the key symbol in the main map to zoom into specific trails.
The State of Iowa has a large number of regional recreatonal trails for bike riding, running and walking. Many of these trails were constructed along abandoned railroad corridors as "rail trails". Other trails follow rivers or the waterfront along a lake going through parks and natural preserves. These trails connect neighborhoods, parks, commercial centers and communities. The trails are used for taking in some exercise, communiting to work or to school or for communing with nature.
Below is a list of many of the regional recreational trails in Iowa. Trail names in red will link to a map and description for that specific trail. Many more local recreational trails are shown on the maps for the individual cities.
| TRAIL NAME | SECTOR | LENGTH (MI.) |
SURFACE | COMMUNITIES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar River Trail North | E | 5.7 | paved | Cedar Rapids |
| Cedar River Trail South | E | 7.2 | paved | Cedar Rapids |
| Cedar Valley Nature Trail | E | 51 | paved / unpaved | Waterloo, La Porte City, Center Point, Cedar Rapids |
| Chautauqua Trail | W | 2.3 | paved | Sioux City |
| Chichaqua Valley Trail | C | 28.6 | paved / unpaved | Des Moines, Berwick, Bondurant, Baxter |
| Cinder Path | S | 19.2 | unpaved | Humeston, Derby, Charlton |
| Clive Greenbelt Trail | C | 6.8 | paved | Clive, Des Moines |
| Floyd River Trail | W | 3.2 | paved | Sioux City |
| Gay Lea Wilson Trail | C | 35 | paved | Des Moines, Pleasant Hill, Altoona |
| Gay Lea Wilson Trail Connection | C | 8.4 | paved | Des Moines, Ankeny |
| Grant Wood Trail | E | 8.9 | unpaved | Marion, Martelle |
| Great Western Trail | C | 17.2 | paved | Des Moines, Norwalk, Churchville, Matensdale |
| Heart of Iowa Nature Trail | C | 23.8 | unpaved | Slater, Huxley, Cambridge, Maxwell, Collins |
| Heritage Trail | E | 28.5 | unpaved | Dyersville, Durangos, Sageville, Dubuque |
| High Trestle Trail | C | 25.5 | paved | Woodward, Madrid, Slater, Ankeny |
| Iowa 330 Trail | C | 8 | paved | Melborne, Marshalltown |
| Iowa Great Lakes Trail | &N | 25 | paved | Orleans, Spirit Lake, Milford |
| Le Mars Recreational Trail | NW | 10 | paved | Le Mars |
| Jordan Creek Parkway Trail | C | 3.6 | paved | West Des Moines |
| Jordan Creek Trail | C | 8.4 | paved | West Des Moines |
| Lamoni Bike Trail | S | 4.4 | paved | Lamoni |
| Lewis & Clark Trail at Chris Larsen Park | W | 3 | paved | Sioux City |
| Lewis & Clark Trail at Riverside Park | W | 2.9 | paved | Sioux City |
| Linn Creek Greenbelt | C | 9 | paved | Marshalltown |
| Mills Civil Parkway Trail | C | 4 | paved | West Des Moines |
| Neal Smith Trail | C | 24.9 | paved | Polk City, Ankeny, Des Moines |
| North Walnut Creek Trail | C | 3.5 | paved | Urbandale, Widsor Heights |
| Oralabor Gateway Trail | C | 5.9 | paved | Des Moines, Ankeny |
| Perry Creek Trail | W | 3.4 | paved | Sioux City |
| Pinicon Ridge Trail | E | 2.6 | paved | Central City |
| Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail | NE | 20 | paved | Cresco, Ridgeway, Conover, Calmar |
| Raccoon River Valley Trail | C | 89 | paved | Clive, Waukee, Redfield, Jefferson, Perry |
| Rolling Prairie Trail | C | 39 | unpaved / paved | Coulter, Hampton, Allison, Clarksville, Shell Rock |
| Sac and Fox Trail | E | 7.3 | unpaved | Cedar Rapids |
| Sauk Rail Trail | W | 24 | paved | Lake View, Breda, Carroll |
| Summerset Trail | C | 11 | paved | Indianola, Carlisle |
| T-Bone Recreational Trail | C | 19.6 | paved | Lorah, Brayton, Audubon |
| Three Rivers Trail | C | 33.3 | paved | Lake View, Breda, Carroll |
| Trestle to Trestle Trail | C | 3.9 | paved | Johnston, Des Moines |
| Trolley Trail | N | 6.7 | paved | Clear Lake, Mason City |
| Trout Run Trail | NE | 10.3 | unpaved | Decorah |
| Vinton to Dysart Trail | E | 15.5 | unpaved | Dysart, Garrison, Vinton |
| Wabash Trace Nature Trail | SE | 62 | unpaved | Council Bluffs, Malvern, Shenandoah, Coin |
| Walnut Creek Trail | C | 3.2 | paved | Des Moines |
| Wapsi-Great Western Line Trail | NW | 17.2 | paved / unpaved | McIntire, Riceville, Elma |
Resources
Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Iowa.
Tweet