Photo: David Morris · CC BY 2.08% of Emmetsburg’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
8% of Emmetsburg’s land is conserved, about 203 acres. 91 acres are parks and preserves, 25 per 1,000 residents. 0.1 miles of mapped trail cross Emmetsburg.
Ahead of 68% of U.S. towns · #67 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Emmetsburg?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Emmetsburg have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Emmetsburg is ahead of 68% of U.S. towns, #67 of 140 in Iowa. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; trail miles pull it down.
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
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Sewell Park
Harrison Park
Brown-Robins Park
All 5 parks & preserves
203 conserved acres
8% of Emmetsburg’s land. Who manages Emmetsburg’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Island Lake State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 121 | Open |
| Kearny State Park Local Park | Town or city | 46 | Open |
| Sewell Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Harrison Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Soper Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Harlan Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Brown-Robins Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Five Island Lake City Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
1.7 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.
2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
The walking year in Emmetsburg
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) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 30 | 43 | 58 | 70 | 81 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 61 | 44 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
January is the driest month (0.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.3 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Emmetsburg →
Questions about parks and trails in Emmetsburg
How much of Emmetsburg is conserved land?
8% 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 Emmetsburg’s trails?
Kearny State Park and Sewell Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Emmetsburg?
1.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Emmetsburg?
3,031 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Emmetsburg or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 211 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Emmetsburg have?
Ahead of 68% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #67 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 Emmetsburg 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 →