Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 12.2 km / 7.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 26 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 34 min
- River
- Alpine meadow
Moderate Hiking Trails in Iowa
The directory currently contains 39 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Iowa. Their average mapped distance is 6.1 km and average recorded ascent is 66 m (217 ft); the longest route in the set is 18.0 km.
This subset represents 23% of the 167 quality-checked routes in Iowa. Its average distance is 6.1 km, compared with 12.4 km across the full local set.
Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 10 (26%) 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
11.4 km
Jordan Creek TrailCompare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.
Lowest recorded ascent in this sample
15 m
Linn Creek Recreational Trail6 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
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 11.4 km / 7.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 51 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 27 min
- River
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 18.0 km / 11.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 45 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 55 min
- River
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 13.3 km / 8.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 15 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 48 min
- River
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 12.6 km / 7.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 59 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 43 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 12.2 km / 7.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 114 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 43 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 12.1 km / 7.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 51 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 35 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 12.2 km / 7.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 12 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 33 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 17.2 km / 10.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 113 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 49 min
- River
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 0.8 km / 0.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8 m
- Typical duration
- 10 min
- Forest
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 0.6 km / 0.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 23 m
- Typical duration
- 9 min
- Canyon and gorge
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 1.1 km / 0.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 32 m
- Typical duration
- 17 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 2.0 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 59 m
- Typical duration
- 31 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 3.5 km / 2.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 92 m
- Typical duration
- 52 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 17.7 km / 11.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 54 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 51 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 17.4 km / 10.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 52 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 46 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 11.0 km / 6.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 133 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 30 min
- Lake
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 1.0 km / 0.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 28 m
- Typical duration
- 15 min
- Lake
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 8.4 km / 5.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 62 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 51 min
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 65 m
- Typical duration
- 21 min
- Mountain
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 3.3 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 62 m
- Typical duration
- 46 min
- Mountain
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 1.7 km / 1.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 67 m
- Typical duration
- 27 min
- River
Moderate
Iowa · United States
- Distance
- 6.4 km / 4.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 280 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 45 min
- Forest
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
The shortlist, side by side
The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Difficulty | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa River Trail - Terry Trueblood to Waterworks Prairie ParkIowa | 12.2 km | 26 m | 2 hr 34 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Jordan Creek TrailIowa | 11.4 km | 51 m | 2 hr 27 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Clear Creek TrailIowa | 18.0 km | 45 m | 3 hr 55 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Linn Creek Recreational TrailIowa | 13.3 km | 15 m | 2 hr 48 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Clive Greenbelt TrailIowa | 12.6 km | 59 m | 2 hr 43 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Inter-Urban TrailIowa | 12.2 km | 114 m | 2 hr 43 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Gay Lea Wilson Trail EastIowa | 12.1 km | 51 m | 2 hr 35 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Sac & Fox TrailIowa | 12.2 km | 12 m | 2 hr 33 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Lime Creek Conservation Area Trail NetworkIowa | 17.2 km | 113 m | 3 hr 49 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Mushroom Forest TrailIowa | 0.8 km | 8 m | 10 min | Moderate | April to October |
Iowa River Trail - Terry Trueblood to Waterworks Prairie Park, Linn Creek Recreational Trail, Jordan Creek 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 →Related guides
Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.
- Hiking Trails Under 5 km in United States3816
- Moderate Hiking Trails in United States2589
- Easy Hiking Trails in United States2332
- Family-Friendly Hikes in United States2298
- Best Mountain Hikes in United States1375
- Dog-Friendly Hikes in United States1092
- Loop Trails in United States1042
- Hiking Trails Under 10 km in California829
- Hard Hiking Trails in United States778
- Moderate Hiking Trails in California722
- Best Autumn Hikes in California628
- Hiking Trails Under 5 km in California600
- Easy Hiking Trails in Connecticut565
- Family-Friendly Hikes in Connecticut564
- Hiking Trails Over 20 km in United States545
People also search for
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Valais/Wallis757
- Moderate Hiking Trails in California722
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Bern653
- Easy Hiking Trails in Connecticut565
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Grisons466
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Lucerne435
- Easy Hiking Trails in Lucerne414
- Easy Hiking Trails in Bern385
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Arizona345
- Easy Hiking Trails in Zurich342
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Connecticut318
- Moderate Hiking Trails in Schwyz294