HomeIowaSolon › Macbride Nature Recreation Area

Macbride Nature Recreation Area

4.9 ★★★★★ 225 Google reviews · Running trail in Solon, Iowa · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Macbride Nature Recreation Area'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.

ScenicDog-friendlyRestroomsTrailhead parking

Park featuring trails, a bird hide, archery, picnics, and a lake.

What runners say about Macbride Nature Recreation Area

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (225 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 10 mentions

“Love the park, it's beautiful, The Rapter Project was neat and everyone was highly educated about the birds.”

Very fun for family time. I took my dog to run the trails and he was doing Zoomies because he had so much fun! Love the park, it's beautiful, The Rapter Project was neat and everyone was highly educated about the birds.

★★★★★ — Maria , Apr 2018

Awesome scenery, great fishing, and they even have a waterfall! Campgrounds with shelters and picnic tables and lots and lots of trails. They have cross country ski trails and a boat ramp as well as an archery range.

★★★★★ — Cassidy , Jul 2018

Awesome place. So many trails to walk. They have a bird blind which is perfect to capture pictures of birds. A couple had just filled the bird feeders so there was lots of bird action. My husband and I walked a couple of miles and barely touched on the land available. We did see a few eagles.

★★★★★ — Brenda , Apr 2025

Beautiful area, lots of trails, picnic areas, camping areas and boat launches.

★★★★★ — Marianne , Nov 2019

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 225 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.

🏞️ Scenic views 13 mentions

“Love the park, it's beautiful, The Rapter Project was neat and everyone was highly educated about the birds.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly

“I took my dog to run the trails and he was doing Zoomies because he had so much fun!”

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🚻 Restrooms

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🅿️ Trailhead parking

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Plan your run at Macbride Nature Recreation Area

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websiterecserv.uiowa.edu
  • Phone+1 319-624-3205

Hours

Monday 9 am–4 pm
Tuesday 9 am–4 pm
Wednesday 9 am–4 pm
Thursday 9 am–4 pm
Friday 9 am–4 pm
Saturday 9 am–4 pm
Sunday 9 am–4 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 Macbride Nature Recreation Area

3895 Raptor Ridge Rd NE, Solon, IA 52333

Get directions

Running trails near Solon

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

Lake Macbride State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 2,042 reviews

Solon, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Swimming, fishing & boat rentals on an 812-acre lake plus trails, camping & picnic sites.

1.1 miles away

Sugar Bottom Recreational Area

4.6 ★★★★★ 501 reviews

Solon, IA

PavedLitScenicDog-friendly

Park on a sandy lake beach featuring a disc golf course and mountain biking trails.

2.0 miles away

Penn Meadows Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 307 reviews

North Liberty, IA

Shaded

Recreational park featuring a baseball field, children's playground & baseball-themed splash pad.

2.7 miles away

Cornerstone Nature Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 7 reviews

North Liberty, IA

3.0 miles away

Squire Point Trail Head

4.8 ★★★★★ 44 reviews

North Liberty, IA

Natural surfaceScenic

3.9 miles away

Woodpecker Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 237 reviews

Iowa City, IA

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Scenic hiking area featuring wooded trails along Coralville Lake and the Iowa River.

4.4 miles away

All running trails in Solon, IA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.