Hiking Trails & Parks in Iowa
3,511 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 3,511 mapped hiking trails and 77 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 100 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 100 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in Iowa
A spatially-sampled view of 466 trail and park locations across Iowa’s counties.
Iowa Counties
Top 24 counties shown — 100 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in Iowa
Parks & Campgrounds in Iowa
Longest Trails 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.