Best running trails in Iowa
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 71,574 reviews of Iowa trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (111 in Iowa do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 15 cities, 5 of them paved, 3 loops, 4 shaded, and 4 with a stated distance. This is a popularity ranking, not a difficulty score — for what a trail is actually like underfoot, open its page for surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms and parking.
Gray's Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,410 reviews
167-acre park featuring a 1.9-mi. lighted walking path around a lake with small boat rentals.
Thomas Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,516 reviews
Disc golf, an ice rink, splash pad, sledding hill & other activities are the draw at this busy park.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,349 reviews
Park with a fishing lake, hiking & biking trails, picnic shelter & wetlands for bird-watching.
Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,154 reviews
Public park with a naturalistic wetland & forest as well as sports facilities & a playground.
George Wyth State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,043 reviews
Multiple lakes for boating, fishing & windsurfing plus multi-use woodland trails, campsites & more.
Ewing Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 863 reviews
Spacious park with playgrounds, an 18-hole disc golf course, a pond & a lilac arboretum.
Centennial Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 883 reviews
250-acre green space with riverside trails & gazebos, plus athletic courts, dog area & a skate park.
Brookside Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 755 reviews
Recreational green space featuring volleyball & tennis courts, ball fields & a wading pool.
Copper Creek Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 652 reviews
Large park with a lake for fishing & boating, a playground, a picnic/grill pavilion & forest trails.
Riverside Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 632 reviews
Popular green space along the Mississippi River featuring boat docks, playgrounds, a fountain and more.
Dolliver Memorial State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 573 reviews
State park featuring hiking trails, fishing, cabins, swimming, camping, and picnic areas.
Greenwood - Ashworth Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 565 reviews
Public recreation area with playgrounds, a splash pad & picnic shelters, plus a pond & rose garden.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 552 reviews
Grassland preserve, with walking trails and an auto tour seeing bison, elk and butterflies.
Brown's Woods
4.7 ★★★★★ 551 reviews
Wildlife preserve filled with oak & hickory trees as well as trails for hiking & geocaching.
Sunderbruch Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 536 reviews
Public park featuring trails for hiking, horseback riding & biking plus picnic shelters.
Lime Creek Nature Center
4.9 ★★★★★ 507 reviews
Conservation education facility with hands-on exhibits, live animals, a library & nature trails.
Hartman Reserve Nature Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 481 reviews
Sprawling outdoor preserve with paved & unpaved paths, scenic lakes & an interpretative center.
Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 485 reviews
Park with ponds and trails good for hiking, biking and kayaking.
Starr's Cave Nature Center
4.7 ★★★★★ 404 reviews
Park, featuring a cave and trails, along with creek access for wading.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Des Moines, IA
- Running trails in Marion, IA
- Running trails in Ames, IA
- Running trails in Council Bluffs, IA
- Running trails in Waterloo, IA
- Running trails in Davenport, IA
- Running trails in Pleasant Hill, IA
- Running trails in Muscatine, IA
- Running trails in Lehigh, IA
- Running trails in Prairie City, IA
- Running trails in West Des Moines, IA
- Running trails in Mason City, IA
- Running trails in Cedar Falls, IA
- Running trails in Carlisle, IA
- Running trails in Burlington, IA