Endless Outdoor Adventures Await in These 5 Small Towns in Iowa

Whether it’s raising dripping paddles in pristine rivers, curling your fingertips over limestone bluffs, or tossing up glittering snow under your skis, these outdoorsy towns in Iowa deserve a spot on your bucket list. Yes, Iowa. Yes, adventure. From every corner of the corn state, surprising adventures await in quiet small towns boasting unbeatable access to water trails, rock climbing, ski runs, cross-country bike trails, and nationally acclaimed hiking trails. 

1. Elkader, Iowa

Elkader is one of the best outdoor towns in Iowa. Its 97-mile water trail drew me in, then the 8-mile Pony Hollow Rail-Trail loop (suitable for biking, horseback riding, and walking), followed by trout fishing at the nearby Big Spring Fish Hatchery. Then my kids earned their first Junior Ranger badges in Iowa at the Gilbertson Nature Center. All of this lies within “Turkey River Corridor,” which we’ve been obsessed with ever since we first visited. We go back almost every spring and fall for the prized trout, the cleanest water trails in Iowa, and serene biking trails full of wildlife.

2. Honey Creek, Iowa

On the far opposite side of Iowa, near the Loess Hills, is my favorite place to embrace the first autumn chill and the first foot of snow, too. Just 15 miles north of Council Bluffs, Honey Creek offers a total diversion from urban living, an idyllic small town in Iowa for nature lovers. It was the first place I stepped into a pair of skis at Crescent Hill, and the same for my kids, too. It was also the first place I stayed in a primitive camping cabin, under a canopy of amber autumn leaves. Those magical October moments happened at the Hitchcock Nature Center, where there’s also a viewing tower along the Hawk Highway overlooking the majestic Loess Hills. We’ve helped count birds of prey there many times over the years, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and other raptors. The prime season for hawk counting is between September and December, when over 10,000 migrating birds pass through annually. The camping cabins are only open during no-frost months, so we’ve also stayed at modern cabins at the base of the ski hills during the winter months. The Crescent Hill at Hitchcock is the perfect family ski resort, offering 11 runs ranging from bunny slopes to black diamonds.

3. Monticello, Iowa

My first encounter with Monticello was on an 8th-grade canoe trip that both scarred me and intrigued me for life. I have vivid memories of paddling my way along the 8-mile Maquoketa River Water Trail in a torrential downpour while the girl in the back of my canoe sat crying beneath her umbrella. I was eternally grateful that I’d grown up at the front of my dad’s canoe and could manage my way out, somehow appreciating the scenic beauty of the river. Fast forward a few decades, and I found myself tromping through the river shores of the same remote small town looking for amateur rock climbing trails for my 5th-grade son. The bluffs tucked into the Pictured Rocks Canyon are widely regarded as Iowa’s best rock climbing area. It features 80 bolted routes, and climbers must obtain a permit at the park office before ascending. Both the park and the river trail are based in the small town of Monticello, and these Iowa outdoor adventures are typically offered between May and September. The combination of water trails and climbing trails in this Driftless Area town makes it one of the most unique outdoor destinations in Iowa.

4. Harpers Ferry, Iowa

For classic outdoor adventure, in terms of miles clocked between high-tread soles, Harpers Ferry is the ultimate hiking town in Iowa. It boasts some of the most challenging hikes in Iowa, due to its rare elevation changes, with steep ascents and rugged switchbacks within Effigy Mounds National Monument and Yellow River State Forest. Avid hikers usually find the effort worth it for the sweeping views of the Mississippi and Yellow Rivers. The area has even been featured in Outside magazine several times in recent years, including an article that named the Backpack Trail at Yellow River State Forest the best hike in Iowa. But my personal favorite is the Marching Bear Trail, a steep, 4-mile loop with 350 feet of elevation gain at Effigy Mounds. You also don’t want to miss the visitor center, which puts the site's historical and cultural significance into perspective. Inside, you can learn about the animal-shaped mounds, which are Native American burial sites, and see pottery and artifacts excavated from them. 

5. Ely, Iowa 

Ely didn’t pique my interest until just a few months ago, when my family and I biked into the rural community just 10 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids. We are avid, though novice, bicyclists, mostly because I am obsessed with rail trails. I’m a huge fan of these urban-to-nature access trails along abandoned railways. The entire town of Ely is embracing its newfound identity as an adventure town in Iowa thanks to the Great American Rail Trail. It’s a massive cross-country trail that will span 3,700 miles from Washington, D.C., to Washington state (passing right through Iowa) when it’s complete. Ely offers designated parking lots for the trail, as well as bike racks and friendly signage along the way, including nudges to visit the local ice cream shop and fishing ponds. Ely sits between major sections of the trail, with 70 miles going north to Hiawatha and an additional 6 miles south that end in Solon. 

One of my favorite things about living here is discovering new-to-me nature towns in Iowa. Just when I think I’ve seen it all—from skiing in the Honey Creek to rock climbing in Monticello—I find someplace else astonishingly adventurous, like the rail trail in Ely that lets us bike almost 80 miles between cities, farmland, and small towns. Take this as your sign to get out there, too, and discover the best of Iowa’s small towns, from their ice cream parlors to their boutique shops perched right along trails of every kind.