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Iowa is blessed with a variety of rivers, creeks, and lakes offering a number of different types of experiences for beginner to expert paddler. 18,000 miles of navigable streams await exploration by curious paddlers from across the state. The Iowa DNR wants you to enjoy, appreciate, and respect Iowa's rivers.
Wear It Iowa
State of Iowa law requires life jackets on every watercraft, whether it’s a motorized boat, jet ski, kayak, canoe, or even a paddleboard. Learn more at the National Safe Boating Campaign.
What is a water trail?
Water trails are recreational corridors and routes on rivers and lakes that provide a unique experience all water users. Water trails help re-connect Iowans to their waterways’ history, heritage, geology, fisheries, and wildlife.
Water trails provide access and can include amenities like:
- riverside camping
- wild spaces
- picnic areas and restrooms
- watercraft rentals provided by local, state, and federal partners.
Coordinated signage and mapping systems guide users toward the types of experiences they seek, ranging from a highly social first-time river experience lasting a few hours to multi-day adventures.
Water trail partners at the local level are encouraged to steward the natural and economic values of their waterways to help boost local economies and give Iowans outdoor experiences just out their back doors.
Iowa DNR water trails staff lead through setting standards for planning requirements, providing funding and technical assistance, and maintaining the framework of the overall system.
Back to topKeep It Clean, Keep It Fun Reusable Litter Cleanup Bags
Iowa DNR encourages all outdoor enthusiasts to pick up litter as they go with free reusable litter bags. The quick drying mesh bags fit easily in your kayak hatch, bike bag, picnic basket, tacklebox, car trunk or backpack.
You can pick up two litter bags at sites across Iowa. Find a pick-up site close to you on the map below. We recommend that you call first to make sure they are open and have bags available. New locations will be added to the map monthly, so keep checking back.
Thanks for helping us keep litter off the ground and out of our waters. If you know of a local business interested in becoming a pick-up site, contact Todd Robertson at todd.robertson@dnr.iowa.gov.
All recreational river users are encouraged to:
- Keep it clean - Pick up trash as you go along
- Keep it fun - Use respectful language and behavior so everyone can enjoy the river
- For everyone - Respect private property, sandbars, and riverbanks