Rock Valley has 36 acres of parks, 8.8 for every 1,000 residents
90% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 2% of Rock Valley’s land is conserved, about 50 acres. 0.6 miles of mapped trail cross Rock Valley, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 44% of U.S. towns · #105 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Rock Valley?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Rock Valley have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Rock Valley is ahead of 44% of U.S. towns, #105 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.
Bicentennial Park
Winterfeld Boat and Fish Area
Rock Wildlife Area
All 5 parks & preserves
50 conserved acres
2% of Rock Valley’s land. Who manages Rock Valley’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 18 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Valley Sports Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| City Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Bicentennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Rock Wildlife Area Local Conservation Area | County | 1 | Open |
| Corner Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Winterfield Boat and Fish Local Park | County | 1 | Open |
8 places to go in Rock Valley
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Plus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
6 lakes & rivers
5.3 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.
The walking year in Rock Valley
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 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 31 | 44 | 59 | 71 | 81 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 61 | 44 | 30 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Rock Valley →
Questions about parks and trails in Rock Valley
How much of Rock Valley is conserved land?
2% 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 Rock Valley’s trails?
City Park and Bicentennial Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Rock Valley?
5.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.3 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Rock Valley?
1,908 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Rock Valley or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 36 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Rock Valley have?
Ahead of 44% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #105 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 Rock Valley 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 →