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More than 1,500 miles of waterways have been selected as state designated and developing water trails in Iowa during the first three years of the state water trails program.
Back to topProtected Water Areas
Nearly all stream reaches within Iowa’s Protected Water Areas have been included in a state designated trail. Future directions of the program include both the designation of more trail miles as well as a thoughtful balancing of resources, geography and resources to achieve the program’s vision.
The existing trail system includes geographic diversity and access to many areas of high population.
Back to topWater Trail Landscapes
The landscape settings of water trails contribute much to paddlers’ experiences. Ten different sub-ecoregions occur in Iowa, each including unique landforms, soils and features.
Waterway character varies among ecoregions as well. The deep loess deposits in western and southern Iowa often result in deeply incised channels with steep streambanks. Landscapes of the Paleozoic Plateau in northeastern Iowa are the oldest in the state in terms of geologic activity.
Many of the state’s prized rock outcroppings on rivers are found here. Soils in the Des Moines Lobe include some of the most poorly-drained soil types in the state, resulting in a high density of agricultural drainage tile systems.
Back to topIowa's Water Trails
| Waterbody | Designated length (miles) | Average segment length (miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk Creek | 40.0 | 8.0 |
| Boone River | 26.6 | 5.3 |
| Cedar River | 52.9 | 2.4 |
| Des Moines River | 174.7 | 4.2 |
| East Branch of West Nishnabotna | 26.8 | 6.7 |
| Grand River | 45.6 | 15.2 |
| Iowa River | 126.1 | 3.3 |
| Lizard Creek | 13.9 | 4.6 |
| Maquoketa River | 80.1 | 4.0 |
| Maquoketa River, North Fork | 49.6 | 16.5 |
| Middle Raccoon River | 28 | 3.5 |
| Mississippi River | 38.2 | 3.2 |
| North Raccoon River | 157.6 | 5.3 |
| North Skunk River | 22.7 | 7.6 |
| Odessa Water Trail | 17.8 | 17.8 |
| Raccoon River | 30.9 | 6.2 |
| South Fork Iowa River | 38.7 | 7.7 |
| South Raccoon River | 17.6 | 5.9 |
| South Skunk River | 55.4 | 5.0 |
| Turkey River | 85.9 | 5.7 |
| Upper Iowa River | 119.5 | 4.6 |
| Wapsipinicon River | 183.3 | 4.0 |
| West Fork Des Moines River | 33.1 | 3.7 |
| Winnebago River | 26.1 | 3.7 |
| Yellow River | 22.3 | 3.7 |
Popular Activities
River segments with a higher number of visits involving canoe, kayak, or paddle activities differed compared to those visited most frequently for tubing and swimming.
Canoeing, Kayaking & Paddling Rivers
- Big Sioux River
- Iowa Rivers
- Maquoketa River
- North Raccoon River
- Raccoon River
- Upper Iowa River
- Wapsipinicon River
Tubing & Swimming Rivers
- Cedar River
- Des Moines River
- Iowa River
- Maquoketa River
- Mississippi River
- Wapsipinicon River
Water Quality
Water conditions vary. Water levels in Iowa fluctuate widely based on precipitation and snow melt. Water quality can sometimes be less apparent visually than water levels and also fluctuates depending on the amount of water in the stream and time of year.
If visiting an Iowa state park or recreation area, check the online beach monitoring reports for water quality and safety notices or alerts.
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