If you consider yourself an expert explorer, you’ve got to add these seven underrated best hikes in Iowa to your outdoor bucket list! Whether you visit in the spring and summer to enjoy wildflowers and butterflies, or you make the trek in the fall for leaf-peeping, these are sure to be quiet spots where you’ll get in touch with mother nature. Come rediscover the underappreciated beauty of the best hikes in Iowa on these trails:

1. Ken Sidey Nature Trails
Ken Sidey Nature Area Co Park, Greenfield, IA 50849, USA
AllTrails / Brian Kearins
You'll find more than three miles of forested trails here! Hike up and down hilly and varied terrain and cross beautiful, moss-covered bridges. This is a great hike any time of the year, but it should absolutely make your fall foliage list!

This is one of the nature hikes in Iowa that all the locals love.
2. Redtail Ridge Habitat Area
Redtail Ridge Habitat Area, Cherokee, IA 51012, USA
AllTrails / Lisa Wersinger
Two miles of trail follow the Little Sioux River in this quiet, often empty wildlife management area. It's a fairly flat, well-groomed trail that's sure to showcase peace and quiet.

You can find all the technical details about this breathtaking hike in Iowa on AllTrails.
3. F.W. Kent Conservation Education Center Trail and Pond Loop
Conservation Education Center, Oxford, IA 52322, USA
AllTrails / April Donlon
Travel 3.4 miles when you explore the F.W. Kent Conservation Education Center's beautiful loop around their signature pond. The beautiful wildflowers along the prairie fields are home to pollinators, so you're sure to spot butterflies! There isn't much shade on this trail, so go during a cool part of the day.

Get all the details about the hike as well as this one-of-a-kind nature preserve in Iowa on AllTrails.
4. Belva-Deer Lake Loop
Lake Belva Deer, Iowa, USA
Google Local / Ashley Glenn
Travel 6.2 miles around the scenic Belva-Deer Lake on this loop trail that's one of the most underrated hikes in Iowa. Enjoy trekking through rolling hills and taking in the gorgeous scenery.

This scenic hike in Iowa is covered in more detail on AllTrails.
5. Pine Lake Loop
Pine Lake State Park, Iowa 50627, USA
AllTrails / Dipesh Shrestha
Pine Lake State Park is home to the Pine Lake Loop, a 2.8 mile lightly trafficked trail that showcases the lake, forest, and more. You can make it a much longer trail by continuing around the whole lake, and you'll pass a beach on the way. It won't be hard to see why we consider this one of the best hikes in Iowa.
6. Summerset State Park
Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park, 13084 Elk Horn St, Carlisle, IA 50047, USA
AllTrails / Heidi Butler
Hike through Summerset State Park to discover boardwalks, hills, and waterfront views! This 2.5-mile loop trail is sure to become a favorite and is one of the most underrated hikes in Iowa.

This is one state park trail in Iowa that's definitely worth exploring.
7. Wikiup Hill
Wickiup Hill Park Trail, Iowa 52341, USA
AllTrails / Jeff Svejda
The 3.4-mile Wikiup Hill trail is located within a preserved natural area, and it's a great place for birders to spot shy birds and other wildlife.

More details about this hiking trail in Iowa can be found on AllTrails.

What are your favorite underrated hikes in Iowa? Let us know in the comments, or nominate your favorite park!

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Best Hikes in Iowa

Tori Jane | April 03, 2022

What are some of the best scenic hikes in Iowa?  

Let’s be real here: when people think of Iowa, they don’t exactly think of an epic hiking destination, but maybe they ought to. After all, Iowa is truly beautiful – just ask anyone whose heart is here. That being said, we do have some pretty awesome hiking trails in Iowa, and lots of them are pretty easy (more about that in a moment). Some of our favorite top contenders for the best scenic hikes in Iowa include Maquoketa Caves Loop, at Maquoketa Caves State Park. It’s a 1.7-mile trek through a designated “special scenic area” and includes caves! Then, try out the Wildcat Den Trail, at Wildcat Den State Park. It’s four miles long and features fascinating geological and natural features like the famous Steamboat Rock and the Devil’s Punchbowl. Also be sure to check out Horseshoe Bluff Nature Tail, at the Mines of Spain Easement, for a lovely short trek through some stunningly lush and green surroundings. That one’s just under a mile long, so it makes for a great short hike! Finally, look into the Blue Heron Lake Loop Trail, at Raccoon River Park. It’s 3.3 miles of easygoing wandering along a gravel/paved trail around the lake. Anyone who’s a fan of awesome scenic hikes in Iowa will love these! 

What are the best easy hikes in Iowa? 

Lucky for those of us who like to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors, most of the hikes you’ll find in Iowa are quite easy. Among the best easy hikes in Iowa are a couple of the above-mentioned ones, like the Maquoketa Caves Loop and the Blue Heron Lake Loop. Other excellent easy hiking trails in Iowa include gems like the Chute and Heritage Trail Loop at the Hitchcock Nature Area – be sure to bring water, as there’s no potable water along the way. There’s also the Cedar Cliff Tail, at Palisades-Kepler State Park, a 2.1-mile hike with beautiful lake views, and the High Trestle Trail is perfect for wanderers, as it’s a lengthy (but easy) 24.9-mile trek along a rail trail from Ankeny to Woodward. We bet you didn’t know there were all these wonderful hiking trails in Iowa! 

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