Explore the best rated trails in Waterloo, IA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Old Creamery Nature Trail and Boyson Trail. With more than 53 trails covering 4045 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
We rode this trail in late May, 2023. The concrete trail is very wide, and just a few slight hills when you reach the campground. It is great to ride along the Wapsipinicon river, and then through the campground itself. A wonderful addition to Central City! if you have your children with you, there are several amazing playgrounds with a rubberized surface, as well as all accessible swings, etc.!
Surprised to see this amazing trail that has great bed and breakfasts along it is not noted as part of the Great American Rail Trail. It sure would help demonstrate more GART completion if it was.
Has little work out things on side of trail, that’s pretty awesome for them to have.
13.6 miles from waverly to readlyn. It’s very shady on the western part of the trail and not so much the closer you get to readlyn. Good hard surfaced trail that has great towns and parks and amenities on both ends.
The trail is complete from clarskville to Bristow. A nice hard surfaced trail ( blacktop and concrete). 22.5 miles from Bristow to shell rock ( there is a portion of it just west of Clarksville that is on the highway for about a mile but there is a bike lane). The trail segment around the Hampton area is crushed limestone and is not very nice.
Rode from Gilbertville to Hiawatha and the trail is in good shape throughout. Doable with a road bike, but a hybrid or something with a slightly wider tire is best on the unpaved section from the Cedar River to Urbana.
A nice ride. The hub is a good place to start.
We initially came into town to visit the Steamboat Rock Dam and Iowa River access point for kayaking. We then discovered the bike/walking trail which is one of the best we’ve seen. We already planned loading up our bikes and coming back to use it. We enjoyed the natural grasses and wild flowers along the trail. Viewing the Iowa River off the bridges was spectacular! I hope the people who live in this area appreciate the GEMs they have right here in town and utilize it to it’s fullest. Down the road about a mile we saw Inner Tube Rentals (lots loaded on busses ready to go) and they take you to the river and in you go, they pick you up down river. They have bike, kayak, canoe rentals as well. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TRAIL.
We took electric scooters and did 16miles of this trail was so beautiful seen 6 deer 5 turkeys will glad go back and explore more
In 2021, the longest segment of the trail was extended further west within Marion and now ends at 7th STREET. That stretch is about six miles long from the east endpoint at Oxley Road. The trail goes underneath Highway 13/151.
There is also another segment of trail within Marion that is about 1.3 miles in length. The western endpoint is just east of C Avenue NE. The trail has a high bridge over Indian Creek, and the trail dead ends just west of Marion Blvd. When I visited on 10/04/2021, there was construction underway to complete the 4/10's of a mile gap between the two sections described above. Hopefully, my review will also soon be out of date, and the connected stretches making one eight-mile trail.
The middle 2.3 mile stretch from Creekside Road to Springville Road is primitive, but passable. I would describe that stretch as grass growing through a narrow, gravel footpath. The grass is kept mowed. That stretch is scenic, with full-sized trees. However, with the primitive surface, I had to carefully watch where I was riding, instead of being able to gaze around.
The eastern-most stretch, between Alderman Road and Martelle should not be listed as a trail. It is not maintained, and there are multiple places with trees blocking the abandoned right of way.
Great job of clean up on the east end since last fall. Grass area west of Springville is a nice ride even on a hybrid. Last September it was largely impassable with downed trees from the derecho, but looks good now.
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