Best Mountain Biking Trails in Iowa | Trailmonger

About mountain biking in Iowa

Iowa has 1,184 named trails tagged for mountain biking on the map, covering 2,961 miles, an average of 2.5 miles each. The longest is Neal Smith Trail in Polk County, at 73.1 miles. 136 run 5 miles or longer. 48 of the state's counties have at least one; Johnson County has the most, with 322 trails.

Top 100 mountain biking trails, longest first

Trails 1–25

Neal Smith TrailMTBPolk County73.1 mi Clear Creek TrailHikeMTBJohnson County61.7 mi Heritage TrailMTBDubuque County57.7 mi Linn Creek Recreational TrailHikeMTBMarshall County50.0 mi Lewis and Clark TrailMTBHarrison County42.0 mi Terril LoopMTBDickinson County32.5 mi Summerset TrailMTBWarren County32.4 mi Three Rivers TrailMTBHumboldt County32.3 mi Volksweg TrailMTBMarion County30.8 mi Cedar Valley Lakes TrailMTBBlack Hawk County30.7 mi Sac & Fox TrailHikeMTBLinn County30.6 mi Iowa Great Lakes TrailMTBDickinson County29.3 mi Heart of Iowa Nature TrailMTBStory County28.9 mi Kewash Nature TrailMTBWashington County28.0 mi Gay Lea Wilson Trail WestMTBPolk County27.2 mi Original Raccoon River Valley TrailMTBDallas County27.0 mi Martin Luther King Junior TrailHikeMTBPolk County26.9 mi Gay Lea Wilson TrailHikeMTBPolk County26.3 mi Waverly Rail TrailMTBBremer County26.1 mi Wabash Trace Nature TrailMTBMills County26.0 mi Rolling Prairie TrailHikeMTBButler County25.9 mi Rolling Prarie TrailMTBButler County25.9 mi Denmans Mountain Bike TrailHikeMTBPolk County24.9 mi Flint River TrailMTBDes Moines County23.9 mi Great Western TrailHikeMTBWarren County23.4 mi

Trails 26–50

Mississippi River Trail (Iowa)MTBMuscatine County23.4 mi River's Edge TrailMTBHardin County22.8 mi Mahaska Community Recreation TrailMTBMahaska County22.7 mi Cerro Gordo County TrailMTBCerro Gordo County21.3 mi Pioneer TrailMTBGrundy County20.2 mi Cinder PathMTBLucas County19.3 mi Cedar Prairie TrailMTBBlack Hawk County18.8 mi American Discovery TrailMTBMarshall County18.8 mi Riverfront TrailHikeMTBScott County17.9 mi Grant Wood TrailMTBLinn County17.7 mi Prairie Farmer Recreational TrailMTBWinneshiek County16.8 mi Levee TrailHikeMTBPolk County16.0 mi Coal Miner's DaughterHikeMTBWarren County16.0 mi Fairfield LoopMTBJefferson County16.0 mi American Discovery TrailMTBLinn County16.0 mi Sauk Bike TrailMTBCarroll County15.9 mi Mason City Bicycle RoutesMTBCerro Gordo County15.7 mi Chichaqua Valley TrailMTBJasper County15.2 mi Superior/Swan Lake LoopMTBDickinson County15.0 mi Clive Greenbelt TrailHikeMTBPolk County14.9 mi Wapsi Great Western Line TrailMTBHoward County14.8 mi Old Creamery Nature TrailMTBBenton County14.4 mi Iowa River Corridor TrailHikeMTBJohnson County14.3 mi Sauk Rail TrailHikeMTBCarroll County14.2 mi Carl Voss TrailMTBPolk County14.2 mi

Trails 51–75

Hoover Nature Trail - Mediapolis to BurlingtonMTBDes Moines County13.4 mi Jackson County Recreation TrailMTBJackson County13.0 mi Kruidenier TrailHikeMTBPolk County12.2 mi Shell Rock Greenbelt TrailMTBCerro Gordo County11.8 mi Hoover Nature TrailHikeMTBJohnson County11.5 mi Trestle to Trestle TrailMTBPolk County11.4 mi Duck Creek Parkway TrailMTBScott County11.4 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - Center Point to RobinsMTBLinn County11.3 mi Tatanka Ska TraceHikeMTBDickinson County11.1 mi Hoover Nature Trail - Columbus Junction to WapelloMTBLouisa County10.9 mi Briggs Woods Recreational TrailMTBHamilton County10.9 mi CeMar TrailMTBLinn County10.9 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - Cedar Rapids to Johnson CountyMTBLinn County10.5 mi Cedar River TrailHikeMTBLinn County10.3 mi Raccoon River Park TrailMTBPolk County10.0 mi High Trestle TrailMTBBoone County9.9 mi Red Rock Prairie TrailMTBJasper County9.7 mi Bowling Street TrailMTBLinn County9.4 mi Praeri Rail TrailHikeMTBStory County9.4 mi Trout Run LoopMTBWinneshiek County9.3 mi Northwest Arterial Bike/Hike TrailMTBDubuque County9.1 mi Lamoni Bike PathMTBDecatur County9.1 mi Cedar River GreenbeltMTBMitchell County9.1 mi Cedar Valley Nature TrailHikeMTBLinn County8.8 mi County Road R38 Bike LaneMTBStory County8.6 mi

Trails 76–100

Oak Crest Hill Road SoutheastMTBJohnson County8.4 mi Johnston Interurban TrailHikeMTBPolk County8.4 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - Robins to Cedar RapidsMTBLinn County8.3 mi Hoover Nature Trail - Solon to OasisMTBJohnson County8.3 mi Edgewood TrailMTBLinn County8.3 mi Railroad Highway TrailMTBPottawattamie County8.3 mi Willow Creek TrailMTBJohnson County8.3 mi Discovery TrailHikeMTBClinton County7.7 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - Gilbertville to La Porte CityMTBBlack Hawk County7.6 mi Highway 1 NortheastMTBJohnson County7.6 mi Lincoln Way Bike LaneMTBStory County7.6 mi Hoover Nature Trail - Nichols to ConesvilleMTBMuscatine County7.4 mi Sutliff Road NortheastMTBJohnson County7.4 mi Perry Creek TrailMTBWoodbury County7.4 mi Sycamore Greenway TrailMTBJohnson County7.2 mi Morgan Creek TrailMTBLinn County7.1 mi University Boulevard TrailMTBStory County7.0 mi Hoover Nature Trail - Linn County to SolonMTBJohnson County7.0 mi North Ridge TrailMTBJohnson County7.0 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - Brandon to UrbanaMTBBenton County6.9 mi Hoover Nature Trail - Wapello to Morning SunMTBLouisa County6.7 mi Cedar Valley Nature Trail - La Porte City to BrandonMTBBlack Hawk County6.7 mi Iowa River Trail - Waterworks Prairie Park to North LibertyMTBJohnson County6.6 mi Eagle Point ParkMTBDubuque County6.6 mi Rolling Prairie TrailHikeMTBFranklin County6.6 mi

Mountain Biking Trails by county

Counties 31–48

Des Moines County

Delaware County

Marshall County

Van Buren County

Hamilton County

Harrison County

Washington County

← All of Iowa

Trail geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed ODbL. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Compiled and published by Trailmonger · trail data last rebuilt October 25, 2026.