These 12 Picturesque Trails In Iowa Are Perfect For Winter Hiking
Iowa has an incredible trail system, with hundreds of miles of trails all over the state. Iowa can get really cold during the winter months, but there’s so much beauty to take in, it’s worth getting bundled up and getting outside to take in the pristine winter landscape.
These 12 picturesque trails in Iowa are perfect for a winter hike.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
Pikes Peak State Park is an incredibly gorgeous hiking spot in Iowa, with wooded areas, bluffs, Bridal Veil Waterfall and an overlook on a 500-foot bluff that affords incredible views of the Mississippi River.
The High Trestle Trail is a great place to hike in the winter, with 25 miles of trail that connects Ankeny, Sheldahl, Slater, Madrid and Woodward. It offers easy hiking and great scenery, and it passes over the unique High Trestle Trail Bridge, which is one of the largest trail bridges in the world.
The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail (HOINT) is a multi-purpose trail for hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and more. The trail covers 24 miles and is not continuous the whole way, so make sure to plan your route before you begin. To learn more about the route, click here.
Yellow River State Forest provides beautiful, rugged natural beauty, with 45 miles of multi-purpose trails that range from easy to moderate difficulty. As you walk, you’ll enjoy scenic overlooks, wildlife, woods, streams and more.
The Puddle Jumper Trail is a leisurely two miles that connects Orange City and Alton, Iowa. Along the trail, there is scenery that includes farmland, prairie remnants and bridges. And if it snows, you’ll be surrounded by a serene winter wonderland.
The trail around Gray’s Lake at Gray’s Lake Park is a great place to hike at any time of year. In the winter, you’ll be able to enjoy walking, snowshoeing, and a great view of the lake from the bridge.
The Bruce Schomaker Recreational Area in Boyden, Iowa, offers a beautiful 130 acres of natural beauty to explore. The trail system there is equipped for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Ledges State Park offers some of the most scenic natural beauty in Iowa. As you walk along the 5.4 mile trail, you’ll take in scenic overlooks of Pea’s Creek “canyon,” beautiful wooded areas and more. While much of the hiking here is considered at least moderate in difficulty, there is a fully accessible interpretive trail at the southern end of the park.
The trails at Dolliver Memorial State Park offer plenty of natural beauty, with dramatic bluffs and ravines along the Des Moines River. There’s a trail system that takes you past the Copperas Beds, unique sandstone formations that are 100 feet above Prairie Creek. The trail continues back down past Boneyard Hollow and to the Indian Mounds. It is fairly hilly, so make sure to bring the proper gear for navigating up and down the inclines.
Lake MacBride State Park is a great place to take in the winter landscape, from the frozen lake to snow-covered trees. The park has multi-use trails that travel around the lake, with plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. The trails are great for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Backbone State Park has 21 miles of multi-use trails and lots of beautiful scenery to take in along the way. In addition to hiking, in winter, the trails accommodate snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.
The Trout Run Trail is in beautiful Northeast Iowa near Decorah. It has a paved recreation trail that follows a 12-mile loop around Decorah, and it’s the perfect place to take in the winter landscape. Scenery along the trail includes limestone bluffs, algific talus slopes, the Oneota Valley and the Upper Iowa River. It’s great trail for hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing.
What are your favorite trails for getting outdoors in winter? For more fun activities in Iowa, here are 10 Places In Iowa You Must See Before You Die.
