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Fort Dodge Nature Trail

3.8 ★★★★☆ 5 Google reviews · Running trail in Fort Dodge, Iowa · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface: Mixed
Distance: 2 mi
Shape: Not reported
Shade: Not reported
Access: Posted hours

Confirmed from Fort Dodge Nature Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Fort Dodge Nature Trail — running trail in Fort Dodge, IA, photo 1

Mixed2 miWater

What runners say about Fort Dodge Nature Trail

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (5 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

Looking up this nature trail on google maps (or Apple Maps) is the only way to get to the main part of Snell-Crawford Park! Took a long time to figure that out lol. I can’t say much about the trail, as I haven’t been down much of it, but the parts I’ve seen are great!

★★★★★ — Tif , Jun 2021

This is a wonderful trail for bikers, walkers, and runners. It's a nice mix of pea gravel, asphalt and concrete that goes from a forest setting to farm fields, all the way out to Kennedy Memorial Park. It's impressive to find a trail of this caliber in a town the size of FD. Don't overlook this recreational gem!

★★★★★ — Worldtraveler , Oct 2025

Trails have been very well kept, and it looks like they recently put new wood on the benches.

★★★★★ — Ian , Sep 2020

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 5 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

 🛣️ Paved surface 4 mentions 
“It's a nice mix of pea gravel, asphalt and concrete that goes from a forest setting to farm fields, all the way out to Kennedy Memorial Park.”
More trails like this →
 🪨 Crushed gravel / limestone 3 mentions 
“It's a nice mix of pea gravel, asphalt and concrete that goes from a forest setting to farm fields, all the way out to Kennedy Memorial Park.”
More trails like this →
 🚰 Water fountains  
More trails like this →

Plan your run at Fort Dodge Nature Trail

The practical stuff

AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
Distance2 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
At the trailheadwater — reported by runners
Websitefortdodgeiowa.org
Phone(515) 576-7237

Hours

Monday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Tuesday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Wednesday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Thursday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Friday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Saturday	6 AM–10:30 PM
Sunday	6 AM–10:30 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Fort Dodge Nature Trail

1035-1099 Williams Dr, Fort Dodge, IA 50501

Get directions

Running trails near Fort Dodge

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Snell-Crawford Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 336 reviews

Fort Dodge, IA

Picnic site with grills, sand volleyball, disc golf, walking trails & a playground.

under a mile away

Loomis Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 188 reviews

Fort Dodge, IA

Scenic

Riverfront park with picnic shelters, BBQs & horseshoe courts, plus a playground & rentable cabins.

under a mile away