These 11 Picturesque Trails In Iowa Are Perfect For Winter Hiking

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.

When it comes to exploring the outdoors, many Iowans head to our famous great lakes or popular state parks that were built by the Civilian Conservation Corp. While the lakes are gorgeous and the state parks are full of history and plenty of amenities, sometimes you’re craving more of a rustic getaway. When nature’s calling your name, head east and find Yellow River State Forest waiting for you. This Iowa 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 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. If you're lucky, you might even spot a bald eagle or two while you're here!

We've long sung the praises of Ledges State Park, a place that offers some of the most scenic natural beauty in Iowa. Ledges State Park is 1,200 acres of lush forest, clear bodies of water, and huge rock formations. The park was one of Iowa's first state parks and was founded in 1924. As you walk along the 5.4 mile trail at this park, 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. This park is a total underrated treasure, though, which means you might just have it all to yourself!

The largest state park in Iowa, 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.

We absolutely adore this Iowa State Park -- for a state with some of the largest corn and soybean fields in the nation, this park, in contrast, is marked with rugged terrain, sheer rock walls, caves, attractive rivers, and a 40-acre lake. It’s long been recognized as a special place, and it's no surprise then that this was the first state park in Iowa. 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.