Iowa is such a gorgeous state with so much to see, and one of the best ways to explore the Hawkeye State is by hiking it. Getting out on the trail is the perfect adventure for all seasons, you just need to know how to dress right for the weather and be prepared for anything! Here are twelve of the best hiking trails in Iowa for you to try – one for each month of the year.
- January - Jester Park, Granger
Polk County Conservation / Facebook Break out the snowshoes (or rent them at the park) for a magical winter adventure through the beautiful, snowy trails of Jester Park in Granger, Iowa. Northwest Jester Park Drive, NW Jester Park Dr, Iowa 50109, USA
- February - High Trestle Bridge, Madrid
Carol VanHook / Flickr The High Trestle Bridge Trail is good any time of the year, but we love it in the dark of winter because it’s so beautifully, cheerily lit! High Trestle Trail, Iowa, USA
- March - Lake MacBride Spillway, Solon
Stanbro81 / Tripadvisor Spring is a great time to go waterfalling. The Lake MacBride Spillway, when it’s running high with snowmelt, is a sight to see! Lake MacBride, Lake McBride, Iowa 52333, USA
- April - Pikes Peak State Park Overlook, McGregor
Scott Smithson / Flickr The views from Pikes Peak State Park are stunningly gorgeous, making for a perfect early spring outing. Pikes Peak State Park, 32264 Pikes Peak Rd, McGregor, IA 52157, USA
- May - Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Prairie City
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Flickr In late May, the prairie transforms with a beautiful carpet of wildflowers. It’s a short window of color that you don’t want to miss! And the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is the perfect place to observe this beauty in action. Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Road, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Rd, Prairie City, IA 50228, USA
- June - Wildcat Den State Park, Muscatine
Douglas Rogers / Alltrails With deep forests, delicate wildflowers, and powerful rock formations, Wildcat Den State Park is an excellent choice as the weather begins to warm! Wildcat Den State Park, 1884 Wildcat Den Rd, Muscatine, IA 52761, USA
- July - Maquoketa Caves State Park, Maquoketa
Michael Kappel / Flickr Speaking of warm weather, in July, head to the shade of the caves, boulders, and forests at Maquoketa State Park. Maquoketa Caves State Park, 9688 Caves Rd, Maquoketa, IA 52060, USA
- August - Malanaphy Springs, Decorah
Christopher B / Tripadvisor In the heat of summer, what better choice can you make than to hike to a hidden waterfall swimming hole? A visit to Malanaphy Springs is the perfect one-last-hurrah before fall. Malanaphy Spring Falls, 2820 Bluffton Road, Decorah, Iowa, 52101
- September - Effigy Mounds National Monument, Harpers Ferry
CaseyDwyer / Tripadvisor When the colors start to change for the fall season, hop in the car and head straight for Effigy Mounds National Monument. It’s a truly stunning sight in the autumn. Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa 76, Harpers Ferry, IA, USA
- October - Hitchcock Nature Center, Honey Creek
Pradeep M / Alltrails Iowa’s Loess Hills offer a uniquely gorgeous escape into nature. Start at the Hitchcock Nature Center and head out on a stunningly scenic hike from there. Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542, USA
- November - Ledges State Park, Madrid
Carl Wycoff / Flickr Iowa’s oldest state park is well worth a visit in late fall. When the leaves are off the trees, the views at Ledges State Park only get better! Ledges State Park, P Avenue, Madrid, IA, USA
- December - Skywalk, Davenport
Jonna Z / Tripadvisor For a quick, fun, festive little stroll in the busy, dark days of December, try a walk on the Learn more Davenport Skywalk in between some holiday shopping in Davenport. It is a quite short hike, more of a stroll really, but the stunning kaleidoscope lighting inside the tunnel makes it more than worth your time. Davenport, IA, USA
Do you agree that these are some of the best hiking trails in Iowa? How many of these exciting Iowa trails have you already explored? Do you think we left off any of the best trails in Iowa? Let us know!
Polk County Conservation / Facebook
Break out the snowshoes (or rent them at the park) for a magical winter adventure through the beautiful, snowy trails of Jester Park in Granger, Iowa.
Northwest Jester Park Drive, NW Jester Park Dr, Iowa 50109, USA
Carol VanHook / Flickr
The High Trestle Bridge Trail is good any time of the year, but we love it in the dark of winter because it’s so beautifully, cheerily lit!
High Trestle Trail, Iowa, USA
Stanbro81 / Tripadvisor
Spring is a great time to go waterfalling. The Lake MacBride Spillway, when it’s running high with snowmelt, is a sight to see!
Lake MacBride, Lake McBride, Iowa 52333, USA
Scott Smithson / Flickr
The views from Pikes Peak State Park are stunningly gorgeous, making for a perfect early spring outing.
Pikes Peak State Park, 32264 Pikes Peak Rd, McGregor, IA 52157, USA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Flickr
In late May, the prairie transforms with a beautiful carpet of wildflowers. It’s a short window of color that you don’t want to miss! And the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is the perfect place to observe this beauty in action.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Road, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Rd, Prairie City, IA 50228, USA
Douglas Rogers / Alltrails
With deep forests, delicate wildflowers, and powerful rock formations, Wildcat Den State Park is an excellent choice as the weather begins to warm!
Wildcat Den State Park, 1884 Wildcat Den Rd, Muscatine, IA 52761, USA
Michael Kappel / Flickr
Speaking of warm weather, in July, head to the shade of the caves, boulders, and forests at Maquoketa State Park.
Maquoketa Caves State Park, 9688 Caves Rd, Maquoketa, IA 52060, USA
Christopher B / Tripadvisor
In the heat of summer, what better choice can you make than to hike to a hidden waterfall swimming hole? A visit to Malanaphy Springs is the perfect one-last-hurrah before fall.
Malanaphy Spring Falls, 2820 Bluffton Road, Decorah, Iowa, 52101
CaseyDwyer / Tripadvisor
When the colors start to change for the fall season, hop in the car and head straight for Effigy Mounds National Monument. It’s a truly stunning sight in the autumn.
Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa 76, Harpers Ferry, IA, USA
Pradeep M / Alltrails
Iowa’s Loess Hills offer a uniquely gorgeous escape into nature. Start at the Hitchcock Nature Center and head out on a stunningly scenic hike from there.
Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542, USA
Carl Wycoff / Flickr
Iowa’s oldest state park is well worth a visit in late fall. When the leaves are off the trees, the views at Ledges State Park only get better!
Ledges State Park, P Avenue, Madrid, IA, USA
Jonna Z / Tripadvisor
For a quick, fun, festive little stroll in the busy, dark days of December, try a walk on the Learn more Davenport Skywalk in between some holiday shopping in Davenport. It is a quite short hike, more of a stroll really, but the stunning kaleidoscope lighting inside the tunnel makes it more than worth your time.
Davenport, IA, USA
If you are looking for even more ways to plan out your upcoming year, take a look at our list of the 12 best day trips in Iowa. You’re sure to find some inspiration! And if you want to focus on fitting in more relaxation this this year you might find some good ideas on our list of small town weekend getaways in Iowa.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Exploring Iowa Nature December 16, 2022 Sara Dager Can I hike to abandoned places in Iowa? It’s always fun when your hike comes with a touch of something creepy along the way! Here are some of the many abandoned places in Iowa that you can hike to:
The Wabash trace nature trail takes place on an abandoned railway Clark Tower, an impressive abandoned castle Wildcat Cave Trail leads to the ruins of an abandoned school bus
What historical sites in Iowa can I hike to? If you want your journey to come with a side of education, there are a few different historical sites in Iowa that you can trek out to, such as:
Effigy Mounds National Monument Maquoketa State Park Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve Ledges State Park Gitchie Manitou State Preserve
What are the most scenic hikes in Iowa? There is no better reward to a good long hike than a beautiful view, and luckily, Iowa is chock full of them. A couple of the most impressive scenic hikes in Iowa include:
Cedar Cliff Trail Wildcat Den State Park
The OIYS Visitor Center
Exploring Iowa Nature
December 16, 2022
Sara Dager
Can I hike to abandoned places in Iowa? It’s always fun when your hike comes with a touch of something creepy along the way! Here are some of the many abandoned places in Iowa that you can hike to:
The Wabash trace nature trail takes place on an abandoned railway Clark Tower, an impressive abandoned castle Wildcat Cave Trail leads to the ruins of an abandoned school bus
What historical sites in Iowa can I hike to? If you want your journey to come with a side of education, there are a few different historical sites in Iowa that you can trek out to, such as:
Effigy Mounds National Monument Maquoketa State Park Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve Ledges State Park Gitchie Manitou State Preserve
What are the most scenic hikes in Iowa? There is no better reward to a good long hike than a beautiful view, and luckily, Iowa is chock full of them. A couple of the most impressive scenic hikes in Iowa include:
Cedar Cliff Trail Wildcat Den State Park
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
It’s always fun when your hike comes with a touch of something creepy along the way! Here are some of the many abandoned places in Iowa that you can hike to:
- The Wabash trace nature trail takes place on an abandoned railway
- Clark Tower, an impressive abandoned castle
- Wildcat Cave Trail leads to the ruins of an abandoned school bus
What historical sites in Iowa can I hike to?
If you want your journey to come with a side of education, there are a few different historical sites in Iowa that you can trek out to, such as:
- Effigy Mounds National Monument
- Maquoketa State Park
- Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve
- Ledges State Park
- Gitchie Manitou State Preserve
What are the most scenic hikes in Iowa?
There is no better reward to a good long hike than a beautiful view, and luckily, Iowa is chock full of them. A couple of the most impressive scenic hikes in Iowa include:
- Cedar Cliff Trail
- Wildcat Den State Park
