Hiking Trails & Parks in Iowa
0 mapped trails and 77 parks across Iowa. Browse by county or city, or jump straight to the full list.
About Hiking in Iowa
Iowa has 0 mapped hiking trails and 77 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 16 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 16 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in Iowa
A spatially-sampled view of 32 trail and park locations across Iowa’s counties.
Iowa Counties
Top 16 counties shown — 16 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in Iowa
Parks & Campgrounds in Iowa
Hiking guides & rankings for Iowa
In-depth articles drawing on the trail and park data above.
Photo: Sergei AkulichThe 10 Longest Hiking Trails in Iowa, Ranked
Iowa's longest mapped hiking trails, ranked by distance with notes on what makes each route worth the commitment.
Photo: Tobias MrzykIowa's 10 Most Punishing Trails by Elevation Gain
Steep is hard. These are the ten Iowa trails with the most total elevation gain — quad-burners earned by hard climbing.
Photo: Sergei AkulichThe Best Beginner-Friendly Hikes in Iowa
Ten gentle, well-marked Iowa trails perfect for first-time hikers, families, or recovery days.
Photo: Tobias MrzykThe 10 Most Challenging Hikes in Iowa
Iowa's ten hardest hikes — expert difficulty, big mileage, or serious exposure. Reserved for experienced hikers.
Photo: Diego LozanoThe Best National Parks & Recreation Areas in Iowa
Federal parks and recreation areas in Iowa ranked by what they actually offer hikers and campers, not just popularity.
Photo: Tobias MrzykBest Waterfall Hikes in Iowa: 10 Trails to See Falls Up Close
Iowa's best hikes to named waterfalls — from short family-friendly viewpoints to all-day cascade chasing.