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Best Mountain Hikes near Des Moines

The directory currently contains 12 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Des Moines. Their average mapped distance is 47.4 km and average recorded ascent is 107 m (351 ft); the longest route in the set is 121 km.

This subset represents 17% of the 72 quality-checked routes near Des Moines. Its average distance is 47.4 km, compared with 12.0 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 107 m (351 ft), versus 35 m (115 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 4 routes (33%) are rated easy, 8 (67%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (8%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

51.5 km

Raccoon River Valley Trail North Loop

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

38 m

Raccoon River Valley Trail North Loop

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

ADT - Iowa - K - Seg 4

Iowa · United States

Distance
121 km
/ 75.1 mi
Elevation gain
167 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
I posted some photos of this bridge back in November, before the public art component was installed. The bridge is a half-mile long and 13-stories above the Des Moines River at it's highest point, and is a part of the new 25-mile long High
Expert

High Trestle Trail

Iowa · United States

Distance
61.7 km
/ 38.3 mi
Elevation gain
76 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Chichaqua Valley Trail

Iowa · United States

Distance
47.8 km
/ 29.7 mi
Elevation gain
134 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Neal Smith Trail

Iowa · United States

Distance
40.3 km
/ 25.1 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
9 hr 22 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Hickory Ridge Trail

Iowa · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
ADT - Iowa - K - Seg 4Iowa121 km167 m28 hrExpertApril to October
Dragoon Trail - Des Moines to Lake Red RockIowa73.8 km221 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Original Raccoon River Valley TrailIowa91.0 km124 m21 hrExpertApril to October
Raccoon River Valley Trail North LoopIowa51.5 km38 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Dragoon Trail - Boone to Des MoinesIowa70.1 km278 m16 hrExpertApril to October
High Trestle TrailIowa61.7 km76 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Chichaqua Valley TrailIowa47.8 km134 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Neal Smith TrailIowa40.3 km132 m9 hr 22 minExpertApril to October
Denmans Mountain Bike TrailIowa6.6 km0 m1 hr 22 minEasyApril to October
Hillside Mountain Bike TrailIowa1.7 km34 m24 minEasyApril to October

ADT - Iowa - K - Seg 4, Dragoon Trail - Des Moines to Lake Red Rock, Original Raccoon River Valley Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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