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Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 552 Google reviews · Running trail in Prairie City, Iowa · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 5 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge'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.
Grassland preserve, with walking trails and an auto tour seeing bison, elk and butterflies.
What runners say about Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
“The trails are beautiful and it's really cool to get to see the bison and elk, regardless.”
“Beautiful, quiet and a photographer's haven.”
This place is great! We've driven the road through the refuge many times & numerous times we've seen the buffalo up near the road. The last couple times we were there we actually saw the elk out running around. If you have some time to kill definitely make it out to drive the refuge road.
As someone who lives near the Wildlife Refuge it is always a fun, quick activity. Pending the day/your luck you will see many bison, elk, pheasants, and beautiful sunsets. A tip I have learned is to drive around for a while and go back through as the bison typically continually migrate throughout the prairie.
Beautiful, quiet and a photographer's haven. Even if the visitor center isn't open, come see the wildlife and enjoy some quiet time. Great paved trails for those looking for a nice hike through the tall grass.
Worth a walk on any of the trails. Amazed by the variety of flowers and plants. Great views. No Buffalo in view today but saw a couple on way out of the park. Wish the property was open but it is open on a limited schedule. I did not find the limited schedule on the internet.
Trail conditions & character
“The trails are beautiful and it's really cool to get to see the bison and elk, regardless.”
“Great paved trails for those looking for a nice hike through the tall grass.”
“Beautiful, quiet and a photographer's haven.”
Plan your run at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance5 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websitefws.gov
- Phone(515) 994-3400
- Social Instagram · Facebook
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