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Dog-Friendly Running Trails in Iowa

Iowa has 90 trails with dogs allowed in this directory, across 35 cities and towns — Indianola, Dubuque, Ames, Cedar Rapids and 31 more. Trails where dogs are welcome, with leash rules, bags and water still on you.

Labels come from each trail's own listing, its website and runners' reviews. Conditions change with the weather and the season, and gates and lights follow the park's own hours, so check a recent review before you drive out.

Every one in Iowa

Use the filters to narrow these by surface, loop, distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and parking.

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Raccoon River Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,650 reviews

West Des Moines, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Large sports & recreation venue with athletic fields, a swimming beach, fishing pier & nature trail.

Gray's Lake Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,410 reviews

Des Moines, IA

ShadedLitScenicDog-friendly

167-acre park featuring a 1.9-mi. lighted walking path around a lake with small boat rentals.

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.

Ada Hayden Heritage Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 1,349 reviews

Ames, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Park with a fishing lake, hiking & biking trails, picnic shelter & wetlands for bird-watching.

Eagle Point Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 1,028 reviews

Clinton, IA

3 miPavedShadedScenic

Park with bluffs overlooking the river, plus a historic lodge & castle turret open for stair climbs.

Ewing Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 863 reviews

Des Moines, IA

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Spacious park with playgrounds, an 18-hole disc golf course, a pond & a lilac arboretum.

Centennial Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 883 reviews

Davenport, IA

LitScenicDog-friendly

250-acre green space with riverside trails & gazebos, plus athletic courts, dog area & a skate park.

Yellow Banks Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 827 reviews

Pleasant Hill, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Large park providing scenic bluff views, camping, hiking, fishing & a Native American burial mound.

Brookside Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 755 reviews

Ames, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Recreational green space featuring volleyball & tennis courts, ball fields & a wading pool.

Copper Creek Lake Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 652 reviews

Pleasant Hill, IA

22 miPavedLitScenic

Large park with a lake for fishing & boating, a playground, a picnic/grill pavilion & forest trails.

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.

EB Lyons Interpretive Center

4.7 ★★★★★ 419 reviews

Dubuque, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Composed of untamed, wooded land, this 1432-acre park offers hiking, hunting, paddling & picnicking.

Credit Island Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 455 reviews

Davenport, IA

LitScenicDog-friendly

Named as a Native American trading post, this island houses a public park with walking trails.

McFarland Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 404 reviews

Ames, IA

5.5 miPavedShadedScenic

Edmundson Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 423 reviews

Oskaloosa, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring a playground with a rocket ship slide, plus a swimming pool and a dog park.

Hickory Hill Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 392 reviews

Iowa City, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Scenic forested park featuring many walking & running paths, picnic tables & grills on 185 acres.

McHose Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 394 reviews

Boone, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

City park with disc golf, tennis courts, a skate park and swimming pools.

Riverview Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 408 reviews

Marshalltown, IA

PavedLitDog-friendly

Popular park for biking and disc golf, with a dog run and shelters.

S.T. Morrison Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 384 reviews

Coralville, IA

Dog-friendly

Community park with an aquatic center, fishing pond, volleyball & tennis courts & playground.

Perkins Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 374 reviews

Burlington, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Shaded and clean green space with a playground and a picnic area, as well as walks, for all ages.

Chris Larsen City Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 281 reviews

Sioux City, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Scenic park with playground structures and a splash pad, plus picnicking areas.

Pfeiffer Springs Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 271 reviews

Cedar Falls, IA

PavedLitScenicDog-friendly

Riverside park with ball fields & courts, a playground, sheltered picnic tables & walking paths.

Waukee Triumph Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 271 reviews

Waukee, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Sports fields and a pond for fishing accompany a sprawling playground with tall slides and a climbing area.

Haines Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 266 reviews

Altoona, IA

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Laid-back outdoor space known for its picnics amid trees and slides, plus tennis and basketball courts.

Awaysis Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 265 reviews

Storm Lake, IA

LitScenicDog-friendly

Garfield Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 261 reviews

Davenport, IA

LitDog-friendly

32-acre park with picnic shelters & tennis/volleyball courts, plus baseball diamonds & a playground.

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.

Macbride Nature Recreation Area

4.9 ★★★★★ 225 reviews

Solon, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

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

Horseshoe Bluff Hiking Trailhead

4.8 ★★★★★ 217 reviews

Dubuque, IA

1 miLoopScenicDog-friendly

Hiking area at the base of steep bluffs offering views of the Mississippi River.

Moats Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 222 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Park offering a playground, picnic areas, grills, and basketball courts, plus a public restroom.

Wabash Trace Nature Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 206 reviews

Council Bluffs, IA

MixedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Route for walking, biking and running with a crushed-limestone surface and several bridges.

Cherokee Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 190 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

2 miMixedShadedScenic

Tranquil park with a gravel trail running along a creek, and picnic tables.

Dewey Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 173 reviews

Johnston, IA

MixedShadedDog-friendly

Kid-friendly park featuring a playground, trails and open space.

Boyson Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 177 reviews

Marion, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Wooded park with a trail alongside a creek to go walking and biking.

Waterworks Prairie Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 172 reviews

Iowa City, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

200-acre park with 3 mi. of paved paths around ponds & prairies, plus trailhead parking & benches.

Buxton Park Arboretum

4.8 ★★★★★ 163 reviews

Indianola, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Park with benches and a fountain at the edge of a college campus, plus playground equipment.

Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 167 reviews

Muscatine, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Outdoor hangout featuring picnic sites, campgrounds and a boating ramp, plus a lodge.

Peony Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 157 reviews

West Des Moines, IA

PavedShadedDog-friendly

Kid-friendly green space featuring a basketball court and tennis court, plus a playground.

Sycamore Trails

4.7 ★★★★★ 151 reviews

Johnston, IA

6.5 miLoopMixedScenic

Forested place with dirt trails for cycling and a paved path, as well as scenic spots.

Hope Martin Memorial Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 164 reviews

Waterloo, IA

Natural surfaceDog-friendly

A large shelter with picnic tables & a water fountains sits in this park with a playground for kids.

Jaycee Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 147 reviews

West Des Moines, IA

PavedShadedDog-friendly

Neighborhood park with play structures, a baseball batting cage, and courts for tennis, basketball, and volleyball.

Morgan Creek Arboretum

4.8 ★★★★★ 130 reviews

Palo, IA

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Tranquil area for learning about tree species along trails or at an arboretum.

Cedar Falls Paw Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 131 reviews

Cedar Falls, IA

LitDog-friendly

Kohlmann Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 124 reviews

Waverly, IA

PavedLitScenicDog-friendly

Riverside expanse with a playground, shelters and an amphitheater for events.

Georgia Hanford Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 123 reviews

Mason City, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Scenic park with baseball fields, a playground and long walking paths, featuring numerous tree species.

Sawgrass Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 123 reviews

Ankeny, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Lininger Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 128 reviews

Marion, IA

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Clean play area featuring swings and slides for kids of all ages, as well as a large field for soccer games.

Greenbelt Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 96 reviews

Clive, IA

ShadedLitScenicDog-friendly

Scenic trail traversing woods, creeks and bridges, along with a playground.

John G Bergfeld Recreation Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 102 reviews

Dubuque, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Pond-front, 0.81-mile-long park showcasing a playground, a fishing jetty, a picnic shelter and wildlife viewing.

Huntington Ridge Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 99 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

Dog-friendly

Playground featuring jungle gyms and slides.

Liberty Park

4.1 ★★★★☆ 106 reviews

Waterloo, IA

Dog-friendly

Park offering a children's playground, soccer, and picnic tables.

McCord Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 92 reviews

Indianola, IA

ShadedDog-friendly

Park featuring playgrounds for big and small kids plus soccer fields and a basketball court.

Washington Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 94 reviews

Cedar Falls, IA

1 miScenicDog-friendly

A bike trail surrounds this riverfront park with a ball field, open grassy areas & play equipment.

Cottonwood Recreation Area

4.6 ★★★★★ 91 reviews

Ankeny, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Eagle Point Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 81 reviews

Clinton, IA

3 miScenicDog-friendly

Scenic park with picnic areas and playgrounds, plus scenic Mississippi views.

Mount Trashmore Hiking and Flow Trails

4.8 ★★★★★ 78 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Upland area featuring a dirt-covered heap of garbage with hiking trails for mountain bikers and walkers.

Somersby Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 76 reviews

Ankeny, IA

Dog-friendly

Walnut Ridge Recreation Area

4.8 ★★★★★ 71 reviews

Johnston, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Park offering a frisbee golf course, picnic space and trails surrounding a lake.

Jackaline Baldwin Dunlap Park and Arboretum

4.7 ★★★★★ 71 reviews

Urbandale, IA

PavedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Serene area featuring trees, benches and picnic spots, plus hidden statues.

South Entrance, Mines of Spain Recreation Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 64 reviews

Dubuque, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring a variety of trails for hiking and biking as well as picnic tables.

Strasser Woods State Preserve

4.4 ★★★★☆ 68 reviews

Des Moines, IA

1 miShadedDog-friendly

City-area nature preserve offering hiking and walking trails through woods, with a creek.

Barker Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 67 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Playground with slides, swings and a sand area, plus a picnic area and a BBQ grill.

Crow Creek Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 57 reviews

Bettendorf, IA

Dog-friendly

McLoud Run Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 59 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Park with picnic tables and a playground, plus a walking trail along a stream.

Indian Creek - Sac & Fox Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 52 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

Crushed gravelScenicDog-friendly

Popular trail for hiking, walking, and biking, traversing woods, creeks and rivers.

Mayors Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 52 reviews

Elk Run Heights, IA

PavedDog-friendly

Dog Park in Riverview Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 52 reviews

Marshalltown, IA

PavedDog-friendly

Pet-friendly park, including 2 sections for big and small canines.

Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor

4.8 ★★★★★ 49 reviews

Ames, IA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Ecological park at Iowa State University Research Park with trails, ponds, and picnicking.

Otter Creek Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 51 reviews

Indianola, IA

Crushed gravelScenicDog-friendly

Family-friendly space featuring prairie grass, a wood tower, a pond and trails for hiking and fishing, plus campsites.

Soper's Mill

4.5 ★★★★★ 45 reviews

Ames, IA

Dog-friendly

Fox Trail Park

4 ★★★★☆ 49 reviews

Cedar Rapids, IA

Natural surfaceDog-friendly

Picnicking, basketball, and volleyball are among the activities at this park with a playground.

Roosevelt Hiking & Mtb Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 37 reviews

Dubuque, IA

Natural surfaceDog-friendly

Mines of Spain Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 34 reviews

Dubuque, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

McVay/Summerset Trail Head

4.8 ★★★★★ 32 reviews

Indianola, IA

Crushed gravelShadedScenicDog-friendly

Flat Iron Park

4.2 ★★★★☆ 34 reviews

Dubuque, IA

Dog-friendly

Lundy Acres

4.7 ★★★★★ 28 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Heendah Hills State Preserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 29 reviews

Sioux City, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Phinney Park

4.3 ★★★★☆ 27 reviews

Fort Dodge, IA

PavedDog-friendly

DeNelsky Park

4.1 ★★★★☆ 25 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Pappy Dickens Preserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 22 reviews

Iowa City, IA

Dog-friendly

Prairie Park

4.1 ★★★★☆ 23 reviews

Sioux City, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

East & West Peterson Park

4.9 ★★★★★ 17 reviews

Ames, IA

3.7 miDog-friendly

Easton Park

3.9 ★★★★☆ 19 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Darwin L. Judge Park.

4.6 ★★★★★ 15 reviews

Marshalltown, IA

PavedDog-friendly

The “Old” Riverwalk

4.8 ★★★★★ 12 reviews

Dubuque, IA

ScenicDog-friendly

Calcite Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 11 reviews

Dubuque, IA

MixedDog-friendly

Granger Creek Nature Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 12 reviews

Dubuque, IA

Dog-friendly

Rolling Thunder Prairie

3.8 ★★★★☆ 12 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Annett Nature Center

5 ★★★★★ 5 reviews

Indianola, IA

Dog-friendly

Red Cedar Park

4 ★★★★☆ 5 reviews

Waverly, IA

PavedLitDog-friendly

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Every running trail in the town, not just the ones with dogs allowed.

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