Hickory Hill Park
Park
191 acres7.6 mi of trail
Twin Oaks TrailHickory Hill
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Old Capitol · Photo: Billwhittaker · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Iowa City
Iowa City has 55 miles of mapped trails, 2.1 for every square mile of land
99% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 15% of Iowa City’s land is conserved, about 2,524 acres. The biggest trail networks: Hickory Hill Park (7.6 mi), Terry Trueblood Recreation Area (3.9 mi), Peninsula Park (3.1 mi).
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #2 of 140 in Iowa State. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
2,524 acres · of 25.8 sq mi of land
Trails
55 mi
2.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,409 ac
32 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
125 mi
18 mi lanes · 76 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
7
6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Iowa City?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Iowa City have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Iowa City is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #2 of 140 in Iowa State. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Iowa City’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical IA town 3% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (55 mi) · IA 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land32 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,409 acres) · IA 19 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · IA 91% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Iowa State towns of 2,500+ (140)#2 of 140
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to 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 Hickory Hill Park, with 7.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Terry Trueblood Recreation Area
Park
209 acres3.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Harvest Preserve
Nature preserve
99 acres3.1 mi of trail
Tejas Vin TrailBrinblock Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Saddlebrook Marsh
Nature preserve
62 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Iowa City Kickers Soccer Park
Park
86 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Whispering Meadows Wetland
Nature preserve
16 acres0.7 mi of trail
Whispering Meadows Wetlands Park
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Riverfront Crossings Park
Managed by City of Iowa City
45 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 57 parks & preserves
Hickory Hill Park191 acres · 7.6 mi of trail
DirectionsTerry Trueblood Recreation Area209 acres · 3.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPeninsula Park124 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvest Preserve99 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSaddlebrook Marsh62 acres · 1 mi of trail
Iowa City Kickers Soccer Park86 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWhispering Meadows Wetland16 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Riverfront Crossings Park45 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Iowa City
DirectionsCity Park106 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHunter's Run Park27 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Pappy Dickens Preserve17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Bur Oak Land Trust
Willow Creek Park28 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Shimek Ravine14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBrookland Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNapoleon Park35 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTerrill Mill Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFairmeadows Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBenton Hill Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLongfellow Nature Trail3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Gibson Square1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWaterworks Prairie Park229 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Iowa City
Mercer Park26 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWetherby Park25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKiwanis Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
James Alan McPherson Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCalder Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sycamore Greenway70 acres
DirectionsScott Park39 acres
DirectionsSand Prairie38 acres
DirectionsWindsor Ridge Park21 acres
Adelaide Joy Rogers Park16 acres
Scott Park Greenway15 acres
Sturgis Ferry Park10 acres
DirectionsCourt Hill Park7 acres
Villa Park7 acres
Ashton House6 acres
DirectionsCamp Cardinal Park6 acres
DirectionsCrandic Park5 acres
DirectionsPheasant Hill Park4 acres
Chadek Green Park3 acres
Happy Hollow Park3 acres
Hubbard Park3 acres
DirectionsCollege Green Park3 acres
DirectionsCardigan Park3 acres
Walden Green Park2 acres
Frauenholtz-Miller Park2 acres
North Market Square Park2 acres
Oak Grove Park2 acres
DirectionsGlendale Park2 acres
Reno Street Park2 acres
Harlocke Hill Park2 acres
DirectionsO'Mara Newport Woods1 acres · Bur Oak Land Trust
Swisher Tract1 acres · City of University Heights
DirectionsBlack Spring Circle Park1 acres
Seashore Green1 acres
DirectionsChauncey Swan Park1 acres
DirectionsTower Court Park1 acres · City of Iowa City
Who protects it
2,524 conserved acres
15% of Iowa City’s land. Who manages Iowa City’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,829 ac
Other state land649 ac
State natural resources213 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits48 ac
Local Park · 1,600 acPrivate Recreation or Education · 317 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 236 acState Other or Unknown · 213 acLocal Recreation Area · 202 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Research Area Private Recreation or Education | Other state land | 271 | Open |
| Finkbine Golf Course Private Other or Unknown | Other state land | 236 | Open |
| Water Plant Park Local Park | Town or city | 223 | Open |
| Iowa River State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 213 | Open |
| Terry Trueblood Recreation Area Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 202 | Open |
| Sand Lake City Park Local Park | Town or city | 199 | Open |
| Hickory Hill Park Local Park | Town or city | 185 | Open |
| Peninsula Park Local Park | Town or city | 171 | Open |
| Soccer Park / Water Treatment Plant Local Park | Town or city | 164 | Open |
| City Park Local Park | Town or city | 107 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
75 places to go in Iowa City
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Iowa City
Mercer Park Aquatic Center
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Iowa City
Mercer Park PlaygroundIn Mercer Park
DirectionsWetherby Splash PadIn Wetherby Park
Directions61 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Iowa City
Rita's RanchIn Scott Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Iowa City
City Park Boat Ramp
DirectionsSturgis Ferry Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Iowa City
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Iowa City
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Disc golf in Iowa City
Peninsula Disc Golf CourseIn Peninsula Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Iowa City
2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
11 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.2 miUnpaved · 11.8 mi
Woodpecker Trail1.5 mi
Whispering Meadows Wetlands Park0.8 mi
Ice House Loop0.6 mi
For the Birds Loop0.5 mi
Tejas Vin Trail0.5 mi
Brinblock Path0.4 mi
Hunter's Run Trail0.4 mi
Foundation Skills Area0.4 mi
Longfellow Nature Trail0.2 mi
Twin Oaks Trail0.2 mi
1 more trails
Hickory Hill
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
125 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
18 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
76 mi
off-road bike paths
31 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Woodpecker SingletrackBike route
2.2 miMcCollister Boulevard SidepathBike route
0.8 miSouth 1st Avenue SidepathBike route
0.6 miHawkins Drive SidepathBike route
0.6 miLower Muscatine Road SidepathBike route
0.5 miCourts & fields
40Tennis
29Baseball
26Soccer
23Basketball
13Pickleball
11Tracks
9Football
6Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →76 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 12 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Plum GroveBuilding · listed 1973
About itCongregational Church of Iowa CityBuilding · listed 1973
About itCollege Block BuildingBuilding · listed 1973
About itNorth Presbyterian ChurchBuilding · listed 1973
About itSouth Summit Street DistrictDistrict · listed 1973
About itClose HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itJacob Wentz HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itKirkwood HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itTrinity Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1974
About itJohnson County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itNicking HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About it64 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Iowa City: April and September
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 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 35 | 48 | 62 | 72 | 81 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 63 | 48 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
January is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Iowa City →
Next door
Iowa City and its neighbors
Iowa City has the most mapped trails of the 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | 15% | 2.1 | 32 | 99% | A+ |
| Coralville | 12% | 1.5 | 40 | 87% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Iowa City
Where can I hike in Iowa City?
The longest trail networks: Hickory Hill Park, 7.6 miles; Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, 3.9 miles; Peninsula Park, 3.1 miles; Harvest Preserve, 3.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Iowa City is conserved land?
15% of its land, against a typical 3% for an Iowa State town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Iowa City’s trails?
Hickory Hill Park and Terry Trueblood Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Iowa City?
125 miles of bike routes are on the map: 18 of painted or protected lanes, 76 of off-road paths and 31 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Woodpecker Singletrack, McCollister Boulevard Sidepath and South 1st Avenue Sidepath.
Is there public land near Iowa City?
21,658 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Iowa City or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,611 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Iowa City have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #2 of 140 in Iowa State. 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 Iowa City 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 →