Sac and Fox Trail City Park
Nature preserve
336 acres6.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Sac & Fox Trailhead
Photo: ArtisticAbode · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids has 46 miles of mapped trails, 0.6 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Sac and Fox Trail City Park (6.2 mi), Noelridge Park (1.7 mi), Seminole Valley Park (1.6 mi). 86% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 3,296 acres are parks and preserves, 24 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns · #37 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
2,988 acres · of 74.8 sq mi of land
Trails
46 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,296 ac
24 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
114 mi
37 mi lanes · 69 mi paths
Highest peak
948 ft
Mount Trashmore
Lakes & rivers
5
1 beach · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Cedar Rapids?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cedar Rapids have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cedar Rapids is ahead of 78% of U.S. towns, #37 of 140 in Iowa. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, conserved land lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Cedar Rapids’ overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical IA town 3% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (46 mi) · IA 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land24 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,296 acres) · IA 19 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home86% of residents within a half mile of a park · IA 91% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 78%
LessMore
Iowa towns of 2,500+ (140)Ahead of 74%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Cedar Rapids ranks #211 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sac and Fox Trail City Park, with 6.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mount Trashmore
Park
141 acres1.3 mi of trail
Stumptown Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Morgan Creek County Park
Park
46 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cottage Grove Park
Nature preserve
15 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 86 parks & preserves
Sac and Fox Trail City Park336 acres · 6.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNoelridge Park96 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSeminole Valley Park359 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMount Trashmore141 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCherry Hill Park67 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMorgan Creek County Park46 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCottage Grove Park15 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsShaver Park47 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCherokee Trail Park18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsBeverly Park55 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverfront Park24 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBever Park84 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsEllis Park77 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCottage Grove Parkway Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Nixon Park19 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsVan Buren Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCherokee Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsQuarton Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Hughes Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Wilderness Estates8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Prairie Park163 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsVan Vechten Park149 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJones Park & Pool70 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDaniels Park23 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverside Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsCleveland Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHuntington Ridge Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJackson Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBret Sunner Memorial Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCedar Lake Park100 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCheyenne Park59 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Lincolnway Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPioneer Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mohawk Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBowman Woods Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCedar Valley Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFox Trail Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHayes Field5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsApache Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTwin Pines Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWhittam Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsReed Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPoets Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsHidder Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cedar Rapids
Directions10th Square Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsManhattan-Robbins Lake Park132 acres
DirectionsPrairie Creek Park114 acres
DirectionsFlaherty Park64 acres
Time Check Greenway41 acres
DirectionsFlaherty Gardens41 acres
Sinclair Detention Basin34 acres
DirectionsIndian Creek Nature Center27 acres
DirectionsWinnebago Park25 acres
Broderick Park21 acres
DirectionsShawnee Park19 acres
DirectionsIroquois Park19 acres
Delaney Park16 acres
DirectionsMcCloud Run Park15 acres
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park14 acres
DirectionsNavajo Park11 acres
Trolley Corridor9 acres
DirectionsOsborn Park9 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsIrene Dumpke Park8 acres
Time Check Park8 acres
DirectionsJacolyn Park7 acres
Monroe Park4 acres
DirectionsLincoln Heights Park4 acres
Garnett Park4 acres
DirectionsPapoose Park4 acres
DirectionsGreene Square3 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsGrant Wood Trail Park3 acres
DirectionsPierce Park3 acres
DirectionsKenwood Park3 acres
DirectionsSinclair Park2 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsFive Seasons Plaza2 acres
DirectionsRedmond Park2 acres · City of Cedar Rapids Parks Division
DirectionsAlandale Park2 acres
DirectionsPlaza Park2 acres
DirectionsTomahawk Park2 acres
DirectionsViola Gibson Park1 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsNorthview Park1 acres
DirectionsSokol Park1 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsStejskal Park1 acres
DirectionsAnderson Park1 acres
Masaryk Park1 acres · City of Cedar Rapids
DirectionsWellington Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,988 conserved acres
6% of Cedar Rapids’ land. Who manages Cedar Rapids’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,773 ac
County312 ac
Joint9 ac
Local Park · 2,497 acLocal Other or Unknown · 319 acLocal Conservation Area · 137 acLocal Recreation Area · 105 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 29 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole Valley Park Local Park | Town or city | 384 | Open |
| Sac and Fox Trail City Park Local Park | Town or city | 293 | Open |
| Jones Park & Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 261 | Open |
| Prairie Creek Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 212 | Open |
| Ellis Park & Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 175 | Open |
| Van Vechten Park Local Park | Town or city | 143 | Open |
| Manhattan-Robbins Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 127 | Open |
| Cedar Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 109 | Open |
| Noelridge Park Local Park | Town or city | 89 | Open |
| Bever Park Local Park | Town or city | 88 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
197 places to go in Cedar Rapids
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Cedar Rapids
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Cedar Rapids
Ellis PoolIn Ellis Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Cedar Rapids
174 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Cedar Rapids
6 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Cedar Rapids
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Cedar Rapids
Mount Trashmore Scenic OverlookIn Mount Trashmore
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Cedar Rapids
Mount Trashmore948 ft elevation · In Mount Trashmore
DirectionsPicnic areas in Cedar Rapids
Picnic Table and Grill
DirectionsPicnic Table and Grill
DirectionsPlus 4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Cedar Rapids
1 campground without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Cedar Rapids
Sinclair Park Community GardenIn Sinclair Park
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.4 miUnpaved · 5.9 mi
Stumptown Trail0.8 mi
Bever Park Trail0.5 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
114 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
37 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
69 mi
off-road bike paths
8.8 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Wiley Boulevard Southwest SidepathBike route
0.9 miCourts & fields
124Tennis
116Baseball
57Basketball
41Soccer
22Football
15Beach volleyball
8Tracks
4Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →63 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 7 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Paramount Theater BuildingBuilding · listed 1976
About itSeminole Valley FarmsteadBuilding · listed 1976
About itCaroline Sinclair MansionBuilding · listed 1976
About itHighwater RockObject · listed 1977
About itSecurity BuildingBuilding · listed 1977
About itCalder HousesBuilding · listed 1978
About itPeople's Savings BankBuilding · listed 1978
About itFirst Universalist Church of Cedar RapidsBuilding · listed 1978
About itMay's Island Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1978
About itA. T. Averill HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itC.S.P.S. HallBuilding · listed 1978
About itGeorge B. Douglas HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About it51 more on the History page.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Cedar Rapids
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 33 | 47 | 61 | 72 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
January is the driest month (1.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 5.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Cedar Rapids →
Next door
Cedar Rapids and its neighbors
Cedar Rapids has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | 6% | 0.6 | 24 | 86% | A− |
| Marion | 5% | 0.5 | 15 | 77% | B+ |
| Hiawatha | 4% | 0.9 | 16 | 91% | A− |
| Robins | 1% | 0.1 | 19 | 78% | C+ |
| Fairfax | 1% | 0.1 | 12 | 79% | C+ |
| Bertram | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cedar Rapids
Where can I hike in Cedar Rapids?
The longest trail networks: Sac and Fox Trail City Park, 6.2 miles; Noelridge Park, 1.7 miles; Seminole Valley Park, 1.6 miles; Mount Trashmore, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cedar Rapids is conserved land?
6% of its land, against a typical 3% for an Iowa town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Cedar Rapids’ trails?
Sac and Fox Trail City Park and Noelridge Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Cedar Rapids?
114 miles of bike routes are on the map: 37 of painted or protected lanes, 69 of off-road paths and 8.8 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Wiley Boulevard Southwest Sidepath.
Is there public land near Cedar Rapids?
41,436 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cedar Rapids or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,296 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Cedar Rapids have?
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #37 of 140 in Iowa. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Cedar Rapids neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →