The Can’t-Miss Iowa Hike for Every Nature Lover’s Bucket List

Subtly hidden away in the small town of Otley, Iowa, is a hiking trail that's so much fun I'm shocked it's never been featured before. But can I say I'm surprised? Not particularly - Iowa is chock-full of incredible hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty, so even some of the most amazing ones might fall through the cracks occasionally. Take, for instance, the Karr Trail at Cordova Park: with views like these, who needs mountains anyway?

Some of my all-time favorite places in this country are places you'd probably never guess existed here in the Midwest, and with an outrageously impressive 69 state parks (and four state forests), you can't possibly go wrong. Cordova Park is not a state park, per se, but it's absolutely worth a visit.

Karr Trail is just over one mile long, coming in at 1.2 miles in length, and it's rated as easy. I agree; for the most part, the trail is clear and well-marked. The real challenge comes from climbing the Cordova Tower, an incredible 106-foot-high lookout structure originally designed and constructed in 1998. It's almost 400 steps round-trip, but I promise Lake Red Rock's incredible views will make it worth it!

Speaking of Lake Red Rock, did you know it's Iowa's largest lake? It sure is; created by the installation of Red Rock Dam in the 1960s, the lake has an impressive surface area of more than 15,000 acres. It's a beloved place for fishing and boating, though if you show up here in the morning during the week, the chances are much better than zero that you'll even get the place to yourself. What lies beneath the surface of the lake? Oh, nothing... only six forgotten Iowa towns!

But, I digress: the Karr Trail is an adventure and a half, and I think it might just become your new favorite hike in Marion County. It's open year-round, and honestly, there isn't a bad time to show up (except for maybe if it gets overly icy... no thanks, steps); in the spring and summer, wildflowers abound and the foliage is lush and green. In the fall, the incredible autumn color is sure to blow you away. In the winter, this entire area becomes a winter wonderland. It's truly awesome.

Each season comes with its own challenges, though: in the spring, expect mud as snow and ice melts. In the summer, bugs are a thing, so definitely pack bug spray. In the winter, the surfaces of the stairsteps and everything else might be coated in a thin layer of ice, so be cautious! Nature is amazing, but safety is, too.

For more information about this delightful hiking trail in Iowa, check out the official Karr Trail listing on AllTrails. If you're serious about your hiking and you want to step it up a notch, check out all the benefits of getting AllTrails Plus. I don't know what I did without it. It's affordable, too! Score!

If you find you just can't get enough of our amazing trails, check out our list of the downright best hikes in Iowa.