Running trails in West Des Moines, IA
West Des Moines has 16 trails in the directory — 7 paved, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 2 with a stated distance, 6 shaded, and 1 open 24 hours. Every one post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 5,379 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Raccoon River Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,650 reviews
Large sports & recreation venue with athletic fields, a swimming beach, fishing pier & nature trail.
Walnut Woods State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 804 reviews
260-acre nature reserve with trails, camping, river boating & fishing & a 1930s lodge for rentals.
Brown's Woods
4.7 ★★★★★ 551 reviews
Wildlife preserve filled with oak & hickory trees as well as trails for hiking & geocaching.
Pearson Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 194 reviews
Family-friendly park with a walking loop, plus playground equipment and a basketball court.
Willow Springs Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 170 reviews
Public park offering picnic tables, a playground, a trail, and basketball and tennis courts.
Peony Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 157 reviews
Kid-friendly green space featuring a basketball court and tennis court, plus a playground.
Jaycee Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 147 reviews
Neighborhood park with play structures, a baseball batting cage, and courts for tennis, basketball, and volleyball.
Ashawa Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 136 reviews
Park for all ages, featuring slides, swings, a sandbox and a basketball court.
Wild Rose Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 130 reviews
Kid-friendly park featuring a basketball court and playground.
Quail Cove Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 104 reviews
Park with a playground, basketball court, picnic areas, and a walking trail.
Crossroads Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 106 reviews
City park with tennis courts, a walking trail, a skateboard park, and a playground.
Purple Martin Lake Water Resource Area
4.3 ★★★★☆ 90 reviews
Purple martin nesting area featuring kayak and canoe access for the lake for fishing and shore walks.
Railroad Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 86 reviews
Park featuring a farmers market and occasional bands, plus a space for picnicking.
Jordan Creek Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 7 reviews
Great Western Trailhead
4.3 ★★★★☆ 4 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in West Des Moines
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (7 of 16). Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 2 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in West Des Moines is Walnut Woods State Park at 16.5 mi. 1 trail is long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in West Des Moines is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 16 of the 16 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 13 have trailhead parking, 13 have restrooms, and 8 have a water fountain in West Des Moines. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 6 shaded, 4 that runners describe as quiet, 3 dog-friendly, and 3 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse West Des Moines trails by type
Running trails near West Des Moines
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.