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Iowa Mountain Biking Trails and Maps

611 Reviews

Looking for the best Mountain Biking trails around Iowa?

Find the top rated mountain biking trails in Iowa, whether you're looking for an easy short mountain biking trail or a long mountain biking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a mountain biking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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City Trails and Maps in Iowa

Bear River Recreation Trail

5.6 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Cinder Path

13.5 mi

State: IA

Cinder, Crushed Stone

Comet Trail

7 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone, Grass

Copper Creek Trail

0.75 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Ed Winkel Memorial Trail

4.7 mi

State: IA

Gravel

Fairfield Loop Trail

16 mi

State: IA

Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Fort Dodge Nature Trail

2.6 mi

State: IA

Cinder

Galloping Goose Trail (IA)

0.5 mi

State: IA

Ballast, Dirt, Grass

Grant Wood Trail (Jones County Segment)

2.7 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment)

8 mi

State: IA

Grass, Gravel, Sand

Great American Rail-Trail

3743.9 mi

State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Harry Cook Nature Trail

2 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Heart of Iowa Nature Trail

25.8 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Hoover Nature Trail

27.7 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

Hubbard Prairie Trail

1.3 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Lindale Trail

1 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Gravel

Mapleleaf Pathway

1.5 mi

State: IA

Grass, Gravel

Old Creamery Nature Trail

15.3 mi

State: IA

Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Paint Creek Trail (IA)

2.5 mi

State: IA

Dirt

Pine Lake Trail

2.4 mi

State: IA

Concrete

Accordion

Pioneer Trail

11.5 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Pony Hollow Trail

3.6 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Praeri Rail Trail

10.5 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Reumpers Nature Trail

0.3 mi

State: IA

Cinder

Russell White Nature Trail

3.8 mi

State: IA

Ballast, Grass

Solon-Lake Macbride Recreation Trail

5.3 mi

State: IA

Crushed Stone

Wabash Trace Nature Trail

63 mi

State: IA

Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Trail Image	Trail Name	States	Length	Surface	Rating
	Bear River Recreation Trail The Bear River Recreation Trail follows part of the Maquoketa River outside of Spragueville and Preston, through bucolic countryside of woodlands, farms and river lowlands. You can start the trail in...	IA	5.6 mi	Crushed Stone	4 reviews
	Cinder Path The Cinder Path in southern Iowa is notable as the state’s first rail-to-trail conversion. Following a shady route past farms and wetlands along the Chariton River between Chariton and Humeston for...	IA	13.5 mi	Cinder, Crushed Stone	9 reviews
	Comet Trail The Comet Trail is built upon an abandoned right-of-way of the old Chicago Northwestern Railroad. It runs for 7 miles between the town of Conrad (City Park) and just east of Beaman, traversing a...	IA	7 mi	Crushed Stone, Grass	3 reviews
	Copper Creek Trail The Copper Creek Trail runs for a short distance from the town of Preston, heading northwest along Copper Creek to meet with the Bear River Recreation Trail. You'll find a nice picnic spot with a...	IA	0.75 mi	Crushed Stone	1 reviews
	Ed Winkel Memorial Trail The Ed Winkel Memorial Trail runs for nearly 5 miles from the small town of Sibley in Osceola County, Iowa to just west of the unincorporated community of Allendorf. Offering a hint at much of Iowa's...	IA	4.7 mi	Gravel	0 reviews
	Fairfield Loop Trail The Fairfield Loop Trail forms a 16-mile ring around the town of Fairfield, mostly in the outlying areas of the countryside. The trail links two major preserves and connects city and county parks....	IA	16 mi	Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel	8 reviews
	Fort Dodge Nature Trail The Fort Dodge Nature Trail begins at the city's Snell-Crawford Park and runs northeast for nearly 3 miles. The trail travels adjacent to overhead power lines and crosses a couple of bridges over...	IA	2.6 mi	Cinder	1 reviews
	Galloping Goose Trail (IA) The Galloping Goose Trail is so called for the nickname of the old railroad that once ran through the area and upon which the trail sits. As of 2012, about 0.5 mile of trail have been built northeast...	IA	0.5 mi	Ballast, Dirt, Grass	0 reviews
	Grant Wood Trail (Jones County Segment) Nearly 3 miles of the Grant Wood Trail in Jones County has been constructed so far (2012) along a former Milwaukee Road right-of-way in Marion and Olin. The trail is named for the early 20th-century...	IA	2.7 mi	Crushed Stone	2 reviews
	Grant Wood Trail (Linn County Segment) About 8 miles of the Grant Wood Trail in Linn County has been constructed so far (2012) along a former Milwaukee Road right-of-way between Marion and Martelle. The trail currently is in three separate...	IA	8 mi	Grass, Gravel, Sand	7 reviews
	Great American Rail-Trail Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...	DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY	3743.9 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone	3 reviews
	Harry Cook Nature Trail The Harry Cook Nature Trail runs for 2 miles from the edge of the small city of Osage, Iowa to the city's public Spring Park. The trail, which opened in the early 1990s, occupies the bed of an...	IA	2 mi	Crushed Stone	1 reviews
	Heart of Iowa Nature Trail The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail traverses classic Iowa farmland along the former route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The trail transitions...	IA	25.8 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	11 reviews
	Hoover Nature Trail The Hoover Nature Trail is a developing rail-trail in southeastern Iowa being built on a former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The trail is named for President Herbert Hoover,...	IA	27.7 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel	3 reviews
	Hubbard Prairie Trail The Hubbard Prairie Trail is a one-mile rail-trail extending from the northwest edge of the small town of Hubbard in central Iowa to the Meier Wildlife Refuge. The refuge offers a pleasant place to...	IA	1.3 mi	Crushed Stone	0 reviews
	Lindale Trail Although short, the Lindale Trail provides an important off-road east-west connection between Cedar Rapids and Marion. The tree-lined route, along the former Canadian National Railway, is nestled...	IA	1 mi	Asphalt, Gravel	0 reviews
	Mapleleaf Pathway The Mapleleaf Pathway is located in the small community of Diagonal, Iowa. The trail occupies an abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway corridor, which once formed part of a larger system that...	IA	1.5 mi	Grass, Gravel	1 reviews
	Old Creamery Nature Trail The Old Creamery Nature Trail, running between Vinton and Dysart, is so named for the Old Creamery Theater Company building in Garrison, another tiny farm community through which the trail passes. The...	IA	15.3 mi	Cinder, Crushed Stone, Gravel	3 reviews
	Paint Creek Trail (IA) Iowa's Yellow River State Forest contains a sprawling network of hiking, equestrian and bicycle trails. The Paint Creek Trail, which occupies a segment of an abandoned railroad corridor, is the only...	IA	2.5 mi	Dirt	1 reviews
	Pine Lake Trail The Pine Lake Trail runs through a heavily wooded state park of the same name, which is especially known for its 250-year-old white pine trees. The trail begins at Deer Park, a half mile east of...	IA	2.4 mi	Concrete	3 reviews

Accordion

Pioneer Trail Central Iowa's Pioneer Trail—which gets its name from the early settlers of Grundy County—is built on a former rail line that once connected the towns of Holland and Reinbeck and the communities in...	IA	11.5 mi	Crushed Stone	3 reviews
Pony Hollow Trail The Pony Hollow Trail in the northeastern Iowa city of Elkader offers a scenic route through woodlands and wetlands along the former Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad bed. The western half of...	IA	3.6 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	1 reviews
Praeri Rail Trail The Praeri Rail Trail runs on an old section of railroad right-of-way between Zearing and Roland in central Iowa. Sections of the trail near Roland and McCallsburg have a crushed limestone surface,...	IA	10.5 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	1 reviews
Reumpers Nature Trail Although short, the Reumpers Nature Trail runs under a beautiful canopy of trees along the former Chicago Northwestern Railroad in Radcliffe, a small town in central Iowa.	IA	0.3 mi	Cinder	0 reviews
Russell White Nature Trail The Russell White Nature Trail runs for nearly 4 miles through a landscape of forest, pasture and prairie and links the tiny community of Lanesboro with open space to the southwest of the town. The...	IA	3.8 mi	Ballast, Grass	1 reviews
Solon-Lake Macbride Recreation Trail The SolonLake Macbride Recreation Trail runs for 5 miles between the scenic state park and the town of Solon to the east. The popular trail is perfect for cycling or walking and skiing or...	IA	5.3 mi	Crushed Stone	4 reviews
Wabash Trace Nature Trail Notice: On April 9, 2020, the East Nishnabotna bridge on the north side of Shenandoah was damaged by a fire. Over 50 feet will have to be completely torn off and rebuilt. There is no through access:...	IA	63 mi	Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone	33 reviews

Recent Trail Reviews

Trout Run Trail

Nice scenery and hilly

May, 2022 by conundrummer

It's a great trail and can't add much more that what's already been said. The southern and western portion of loop is hilly with great scenery. The trail goes by downtown and close to several restaurants, bars, shops and ice cream places. I've ridden this trail in summer of 2020 and 2021 and most sections of this trail does not have shade trees and got quite hot in the afternoon. That is the only downside I can think of.

Heritage Trail (IA)

Heritage Trail, out from Dubuqye

May, 2022 by matthewge

Saturday May 21, 2022 -- my first time to check out this trail. I rode out about 10 miles, starting in Dubuque's Comiskey Park, and returning for about 22 miles round trip. The four miles nearest DBQ were paved, the rest well maintained crushed limestone. Not at all crowded (50F temp) and a very pleasant ride. Once you are a few miles from DBQ, the scenery is sweet and keeps changing. I will be back, for sure! Enjoy the ride.

T-Bone Trail

Nice rail-to-trail, but needs maintenance.

May, 2022 by iawestrr

Grade the trail! This review serves as a guide so that you know what condition the trail is in before you go. Here are the ratings:

A – Excellent condition, new or like-new.
B – Very good condition, not new, but still a great trail.
C – Fair condition, starting to see a fair amount of ruts, bumps or heaves.
D – Poor condition, lots of ruts, bumps or heaves.
F – Very poor condition, would not recommend riding this trail at all.

The hot western IA summer sun wreaks havoc on this mostly asphalt trail. LOTS of ruts. There is a 3 mile (approx) section north of Exira that is concrete. On the basis of trail surface alone, that section would get a (B) rating. A substantial portion of this trail (1/3 to 1/2?) runs amongst the trees. They do not blow the sticks off of the trail. When they mow the grass along the trail, they do not blow it off. Be aware of the bridge abutments, most all are very rough - some have a 2 inch bump. The gravel road crossings are not paved, which is to be expected on a rural trail. In addition, there are 3 short sections where you will be riding on gravel. One in particular to watch out for is near the I-80 interchange where the asphalt trail in completely covered with gravel. This would be an awesome rail-trail if it were repaired and maintained!

Overall rating: C/D

Feel free to copy this format and grade other trails as desired.

Accordion

Running River Trail System (Riverside Park)

enjoyable

May, 2022 by frank.figueroa7044

Not that much shaded areas but it was a good time.. very windy at times cause it’s next to the river.

Kent Stein to Deep Lakes Park Trail

Really Fun..

May, 2022 by frank.figueroa7044

Very enjoyable bike trail.. great workout awesome scenery. Definitely recommend

Kent Stein to Deep Lakes Park Trail

Very Fun…

May, 2022 by frank.figueroa7044

This place is probably is awesome. Good scenery, and nicely paved.

High Trestle Trail

Beautiful ride

April, 2022 by utpaduke

On 21 April, Mel n I rode our Pacific Tandem from Madrid to Woodward and back, then from Madrid to the stream with the black chain link fence and back for a total of about 20 miles. Of course we were totally blown away by the 2500+ Ft-long bridge! What a beautiful site to ride our tandem right through those continuous iron squares that appear to keep twisting and turning as you approach them! We loved this trail because it has only gradual grade changes that are barely noticeable 🤠. We look forward to riding this same trail section the next time we come to visit!

Mark C. Ackelson Trail

great walk!

April, 2022 by marissa.schuster

Amazing walking area. Will go back.

Heart of the Warrior Trail

We live in SE Waukee and use this trail to literally ride from our home and get on the RRVT for many more miles of riding.

April, 2022 by garywoltz3

We live in SE Waukee and use this trail to literally ride from our home and get on the RRVT for many more miles of riding.

Bergfeld Recreation Trail

Very easy trail. I would walk it again.

April, 2022 by rockydoright

Very easy trail. I would walk it again.

Sac and Fox Trail

Has a very good bike trails

April, 2022 by colekadia03

It has very good bike trails and obstacles to try out. Definitely not a trail to go on after it rained but other than that it’s a great trail and not many people there!

Carlisle Nature Trail

Wish I knew of it sooner

March, 2022 by codykowalik

This trail doesn't show up on Garmin devices or Google Maps. I did a ride through Carlisle a week ago, and would have loved to get through town via a scenic meadow trail rather than fighting traffic on hwy 5. Somebody get this trail onto GPS service providers' maps! I look forward to using the trail next time!

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