Iowa’s state parks draw millions of visitors every year, and there’s no doubt you’ve heard about the incredible overlooks at Pikes Peak and the stunning trails at Maquoketa Cave State Park. Backbone State Park is another Hawkeye favorite and, being the oldest state park in Iowa, it’s full of history. However, sometimes it is nice to stray from the beaten path a bit and find a place where you can feel like you’re in another world. These often overlooked, quiet state parks in Iowa are some of the best spots to explore when you want to get away from it all.

  1. Preparation Canyon State Park

Melinda Salley/Google Local Preparation Canyon State Park is a remote park in the heart of Iowa’s Loess Hills. This relatively undistributed park offers hike-in camping and miles of trails. If you really want a quiet hike, head out west and check it out. And did we mention the hiking? Preparation Canyon State Park, 340th St, Moorhead, IA 51558, USA

  1. Wapsipinicon State Park

Jdurchen/Flickr Wapsipinicon State Park is one of the most fun parks to hike through in all of Iowa. Track down the ice cave and cross the old railroad truss bridge, or just paddle out on the Wapsipinicon River! Learn more about this underappreciated gem in this article. Wapsipinicon State Park, 21301 Co Rd E34, Anamosa, IA 52205, USA

  1. Ledges State Park

Carl Wyckoff/Flickr This state park in Boone is an incredible spot for nature lovers and explorers. The gorge that’s at the center of the park was carved by Pea’s Creek, which eventually leads to the Des Moines river. The park is named after the incredible cliffs and bluffs along the creek. Read more about it in this article. Ledges State Park, P Avenue, Madrid, IA, USA

  1. Lewis and Clark State Park

Michael Vallejo/Flickr Lewis and Clark State Park is located near Council Bluffs, on Blue Lake. You can hike for miles, relax in a picnic area, swim in the lake, or take a boat and enjoy a day of fishing right here. Plan your trip on the official Iowa DNR website. Lewis and Clark State Park, 21914 Park Loop, Onawa, IA 51040, USA

  1. Palisades-Kepler State Park

Louis/Flickr Step back in time when you visit Palisades-Kepler State Park. Once, a Mammoth tooth was found here! There are fossils along the Cedar River that date back millions of years, and the Native American Burial Mounds in the park are hundreds of years old. Enjoy a relaxing day walking along the Cedar River while you take it all in. This park is also an incredible Dark Sky park! Palisades-Kepler State Park, 700 Kepler Dr, Mt Vernon, IA 52314, USA

  1. Mini-Wakan State Park

Micah Pharoah/Google Local Mini-Wakan State Park is a small state park located on the quieter north side of Big Spirit Lakek. If you love kayaking, this will soon become your favorite destination. There’s also miles of trails for hiking, scenic picnic areas, and plenty of spots to swim in the lake itself. Click here to learn more. Mini-Wakan State Park, 1500 Harpen St, Milford, IA 51351, USA

  1. Nine Eagles State Park

Tony Webster/Google Local Nine Eagles State Park is one of Southern Iowa’s most scenic parks, and with plenty of spots for setting up a picnic and a small bonfire, you’ll soon fall in love with the views. There are nine miles of trails to explore, several swimming spots, and plenty of opportunities for boating and fishing. Visit the Iowa DNR website to learn more. Nine Eagles State Park, 23678 Dale Miller Rd, Davis City, IA 50065, USA

What’s your favorite of Iowa’s little-known state parks? Tell us in the comments – we love to hear from you!

Melinda Salley/Google Local

Preparation Canyon State Park is a remote park in the heart of Iowa’s Loess Hills. This relatively undistributed park offers hike-in camping and miles of trails. If you really want a quiet hike, head out west and check it out. And did we mention the hiking?

Preparation Canyon State Park, 340th St, Moorhead, IA 51558, USA

Jdurchen/Flickr

Wapsipinicon State Park is one of the most fun parks to hike through in all of Iowa. Track down the ice cave and cross the old railroad truss bridge, or just paddle out on the Wapsipinicon River! Learn more about this underappreciated gem in this article.

Wapsipinicon State Park, 21301 Co Rd E34, Anamosa, IA 52205, USA

Carl Wyckoff/Flickr

This state park in Boone is an incredible spot for nature lovers and explorers. The gorge that’s at the center of the park was carved by Pea’s Creek, which eventually leads to the Des Moines river. The park is named after the incredible cliffs and bluffs along the creek. Read more about it in this article.

Ledges State Park, P Avenue, Madrid, IA, USA

Michael Vallejo/Flickr

Lewis and Clark State Park is located near Council Bluffs, on Blue Lake. You can hike for miles, relax in a picnic area, swim in the lake, or take a boat and enjoy a day of fishing right here. Plan your trip on the official Iowa DNR website.

Lewis and Clark State Park, 21914 Park Loop, Onawa, IA 51040, USA

Louis/Flickr

Step back in time when you visit Palisades-Kepler State Park. Once, a Mammoth tooth was found here! There are fossils along the Cedar River that date back millions of years, and the Native American Burial Mounds in the park are hundreds of years old. Enjoy a relaxing day walking along the Cedar River while you take it all in. This park is also an incredible Dark Sky park!

Palisades-Kepler State Park, 700 Kepler Dr, Mt Vernon, IA 52314, USA

Micah Pharoah/Google Local

Mini-Wakan State Park is a small state park located on the quieter north side of Big Spirit Lakek. If you love kayaking, this will soon become your favorite destination. There’s also miles of trails for hiking, scenic picnic areas, and plenty of spots to swim in the lake itself. Click here to learn more.

Mini-Wakan State Park, 1500 Harpen St, Milford, IA 51351, USA

Tony Webster/Google Local

Nine Eagles State Park is one of Southern Iowa’s most scenic parks, and with plenty of spots for setting up a picnic and a small bonfire, you’ll soon fall in love with the views. There are nine miles of trails to explore, several swimming spots, and plenty of opportunities for boating and fishing. Visit the Iowa DNR website to learn more.

Nine Eagles State Park, 23678 Dale Miller Rd, Davis City, IA 50065, USA

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The OIYS Visitor Center

State Parks to Visit in Iowa January 24, 2022 Tori Jane What are the most popular hiking trails in Iowa?   Okay, so Iowa isn’t exactly a mountainous or forested kind of place, but don’t let that fool you – it’s home to plenty of amazing hiking trails! According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 700 awesome hiking trails throughout our beautiful state, all varying in difficulty, length, and features. The most popular trail is the challenging-but-worth-it Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, Badger Ridge Trail Loop. It’s 6.3 miles of amazing landscapes and one-of-a-kind bliss, and it’s well worth the challenge! Another much-beloved trail is the much-easier-than-Dozer-Cut Maquoketa Caves Loop, which really is as interesting as it sounds. This is an awesome area where you can explore some awesome caves, and we strongly recommend it for anyone interested in Iowa’s most sought-after landscape. Other popular hiking trails in Iowa include Brown’s Woods Trail, in West Des Moines, and Wildcat Den Trail, within Wildcat Den State Park. We also really love Mushroom Forest Trail, in Coralville Dam Recreation Area. There are over 700 more; which will you conquer first?   What are the best state parks in Iowa?   Obviously, “best” is subjective, but Iowa is home to an impressive 83 state parks and recreation areas. With so many, it’s hard to know where to begin, but why not start with the most popular? Some folks might even argue that being among the most popular parks in the state means the parks in question are the “best of”; we tend to agree. Some of the “best” state parks in Iowa include Lake Manawa State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year, and Gull Point State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year. Then there’s Big Creek State Park, Backbone State Park, Walnut Woods State Park, McIntosh Woods State Park, and several others that see more than half a million visitors yearly. Iowa may not be thought of as a destination state, but perhaps it should be. It’s uniquely beautiful, and our state parks are second to none. For some more ideas – this time involving some of the lesser-known state parks in Iowa – check this list out!  

The OIYS Visitor Center

State Parks to Visit in Iowa

January 24, 2022

Tori Jane

What are the most popular hiking trails in Iowa?   Okay, so Iowa isn’t exactly a mountainous or forested kind of place, but don’t let that fool you – it’s home to plenty of amazing hiking trails! According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 700 awesome hiking trails throughout our beautiful state, all varying in difficulty, length, and features. The most popular trail is the challenging-but-worth-it Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, Badger Ridge Trail Loop. It’s 6.3 miles of amazing landscapes and one-of-a-kind bliss, and it’s well worth the challenge! Another much-beloved trail is the much-easier-than-Dozer-Cut Maquoketa Caves Loop, which really is as interesting as it sounds. This is an awesome area where you can explore some awesome caves, and we strongly recommend it for anyone interested in Iowa’s most sought-after landscape. Other popular hiking trails in Iowa include Brown’s Woods Trail, in West Des Moines, and Wildcat Den Trail, within Wildcat Den State Park. We also really love Mushroom Forest Trail, in Coralville Dam Recreation Area. There are over 700 more; which will you conquer first?   What are the best state parks in Iowa?   Obviously, “best” is subjective, but Iowa is home to an impressive 83 state parks and recreation areas. With so many, it’s hard to know where to begin, but why not start with the most popular? Some folks might even argue that being among the most popular parks in the state means the parks in question are the “best of”; we tend to agree. Some of the “best” state parks in Iowa include Lake Manawa State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year, and Gull Point State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year. Then there’s Big Creek State Park, Backbone State Park, Walnut Woods State Park, McIntosh Woods State Park, and several others that see more than half a million visitors yearly. Iowa may not be thought of as a destination state, but perhaps it should be. It’s uniquely beautiful, and our state parks are second to none. For some more ideas – this time involving some of the lesser-known state parks in Iowa – check this list out!  

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Okay, so Iowa isn’t exactly a mountainous or forested kind of place, but don’t let that fool you – it’s home to plenty of amazing hiking trails! According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 700 awesome hiking trails throughout our beautiful state, all varying in difficulty, length, and features. The most popular trail is the challenging-but-worth-it Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, Badger Ridge Trail Loop. It’s 6.3 miles of amazing landscapes and one-of-a-kind bliss, and it’s well worth the challenge! Another much-beloved trail is the much-easier-than-Dozer-Cut Maquoketa Caves Loop, which really is as interesting as it sounds. This is an awesome area where you can explore some awesome caves, and we strongly recommend it for anyone interested in Iowa’s most sought-after landscape. Other popular hiking trails in Iowa include Brown’s Woods Trail, in West Des Moines, and Wildcat Den Trail, within Wildcat Den State Park. We also really love Mushroom Forest Trail, in Coralville Dam Recreation Area. There are over 700 more; which will you conquer first?  

What are the best state parks in Iowa?  

Obviously, “best” is subjective, but Iowa is home to an impressive 83 state parks and recreation areas. With so many, it’s hard to know where to begin, but why not start with the most popular? Some folks might even argue that being among the most popular parks in the state means the parks in question are the “best of”; we tend to agree. Some of the “best” state parks in Iowa include Lake Manawa State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year, and Gull Point State Park, which sees about 1.6 million visitors each year. Then there’s Big Creek State Park, Backbone State Park, Walnut Woods State Park, McIntosh Woods State Park, and several others that see more than half a million visitors yearly. Iowa may not be thought of as a destination state, but perhaps it should be. It’s uniquely beautiful, and our state parks are second to none. For some more ideas – this time involving some of the lesser-known state parks in Iowa – check this list out!