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Otter Creek Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 51 Google reviews · Running trail in Indianola, Iowa · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Otter Creek Park'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.
Family-friendly space featuring prairie grass, a wood tower, a pond and trails for hiking and fishing, plus campsites.
What runners say about Otter Creek Park
“The bathrooms were amazingly clean.”
“A nice mix of woodland and grassland trails with a beautiful pond and primitive camp sites.”
“The trails were beautiful and just a quiet little place to take your family and walk around.”
This park is a great camping destination! It has a tower of wood to lookout from, nice trails which go by creek, and camping sites( five in total). It is also hidden deep in Warren County away from the hustle of every day life.
Great place to camp. Our battery died our first night and the park Rangers would not come out. "Due to damage liability", whatever that means. Lol. We got a jump from a friendly lady a couple of miles up the road. Then, unfortunately, we ran out of gas. A fellow camper named Sandi helped us out if that jam.
Wonderful park. Well maintained trails. Very quiet and peaceful. Great place for a short hike. Be careful, take Roosevelt street if coming from Hwy 65. The other 2 roads are minimum maintenance roads.
It's under gone changes from a foot bridge to cross the pond has been removed. Rather interesting to walk over the water than around the shore. The shelter is an rustic, ample and the large open green space in front of the shelter makes it a good place for a picnic.
Trail conditions & character
“A nice mix of woodland and grassland trails with a beautiful pond and primitive camp sites.”
“The trails were beautiful and just a quiet little place to take your family and walk around.”
“Out in the middle of nowhere so gravel roads out there but was a nice place to get out of town for the weekend.”
“There are restrooms but there is no electricity or other hook ups.”
“Stayed here overnight to camp with my dog just passing through, this is a little gem 💎 love the observation deck”
Plan your run at Otter Creek Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- 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.
- Websitewarrenccb.org
- Phone+1 515-961-6169
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Indianola
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Lake Ahquabi State Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 980 reviews
Spacious campground, boat rentals, fishing, sandy beach & trails featured in a 770-acre preserve.
Barker Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 67 reviews
Playground with slides, swings and a sand area, plus a picnic area and a BBQ grill.
McCord Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 92 reviews
Park featuring playgrounds for big and small kids plus soccer fields and a basketball court.