Photo: CTJF83Talk · Public domain9% of Clinton’s land is conserved: 1,958 acres
The biggest trail networks: Eagle Point Park (3.7 mi), Emma Young Park (2.2 mi). 471 acres are parks and preserves, 19 per 1,000 residents. 75% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns · #64 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Clinton?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Clinton have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Clinton is ahead of 69% of U.S. towns, #64 of 140 in Iowa. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, trail miles lowest.
Water is 7% of Clinton’s area (3 of 39 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 8%.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Eagle Point Park, with 3.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
All 17 parks & preserves
1,958 conserved acres
9% of Clinton’s land. Water is left out: Clinton has 35.6 square miles of land and 2.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Clinton’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,557 | Restricted |
| Ms Rv Pools 11-22 Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 893 | Open |
| Eagle Point Park Local Park | Town or city | 182 | Open |
| River View City Park Local Park | Town or city | 52 | Open |
| Emma Young Park Local Park | Town or city | 52 | Open |
| Mississippi River State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 44 | Open |
| Discovery Trail Local Park | Town or city | 28 | Open |
| George O Morris Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Chancy Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Root Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
16 places to go in Clinton
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
10 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Plus 1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
1 campground without a name on the map.
2 lakes & rivers
17 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
15 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
3 more on the History page.
The walking year in Clinton
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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 34 | 47 | 60 | 72 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
January is the driest month (1.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 5.0 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Clinton →
Clinton and its neighbors
Clinton has the most mapped trails of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton | 9% | 0.3 | 19 | 75% | B+ |
| Camanche | 3% | 0.2 | 5 | 85% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Clinton
Where can I hike in Clinton?
The longest trail networks: Eagle Point Park, 3.7 miles; Emma Young Park, 2.2 miles; Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, 0.4 miles; Riverview Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Clinton is conserved land?
9% 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 Clinton’s trails?
Eagle Point Park and Emma Young Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Clinton?
17 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.1 of painted or protected lanes, 15 of off-road paths and 0.4 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Clinton?
16,871 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Clinton or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 539 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Clinton have?
Ahead of 69% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #64 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 Clinton neighbors.
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 →