Iowa · best-of list
The 7 Best Outdoor Spots in Iowa
All 7 outdoor spots our route editors picked in Iowa, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect trails, beaches, parks and viewpoints, with Decorah contributing the most (4).
Our curated picks
7 outdoor spots in Iowa, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Decorah 4 picks
Dunning's Spring Park
Decorah · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Short walk to a 200-foot waterfall tumbling off a limestone bluff.
Photo: Joseph Kerski · Google
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Decorah · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Ancient Native American animal-shaped mounds on Mississippi River bluffs.
Tip: The Fire Point trail is a 2-mile round trip to river views.
Photo: Archbob · CC0
Phelps Park
Decorah · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Hilltop park with stone overlooks above the Upper Iowa River.
Photo: Jason Kyle · Google
Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm
Decorah · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Heirloom gardens, orchards and trails on an 890-acre farm.
Tip: Gardens are best Jun–Sep.
Photo: Iowa Scenic Views By Foot · Google
Dubuque 2 picks
Eagle Point Park
Dubuque · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Bluff-top park with stone shelters overlooking Lock and Dam 11.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Jesster79~commonswiki assumed (based on cop · CC BY-SA 3.0
Mines of Spain Recreation Area
Dubuque · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Wooded bluff trails to the Julien Dubuque Monument above the river.
Photo: Bill Whittaker · CC BY-SA 3.0
Des Moines 1 pick
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Des Moines · On our Iowa Driftless & River Towns route
Riverside gardens and a domed tropical conservatory.
Photo: Iowahwyman (Talk / contribs) · CC BY-SA 3.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in Iowa?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 7 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Iowa has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Decorah has the most (4 of 7), followed by Dubuque (2) and Des Moines (1).
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Effigy Mounds National Monument, Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm, Dunning's Spring Park, Phelps Park and Mines of Spain Recreation Area. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Iowa
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Decorah 4 on this list
- Dubuque 2 on this list
- Des Moines 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.