George Wyth Memorial State Park
Managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources
851 acres11.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Waterloo
Waterloo has 3,443 acres of parks, 51 for every 1,000 residents
91% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: George Wyth Memorial State Park (11.1 mi), Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt (7.3 mi), Hartman Reserve Nature Center (6.6 mi). 44 miles of mapped trail cross Waterloo, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns · #17 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
Conserved land
6%
2,530 acres · of 61.6 sq mi of land
Trails
44 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,443 ac
51 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
91%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
51 mi
0.8 mi lanes · 49 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
12
5 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Waterloo?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Waterloo have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Waterloo is ahead of 86% of U.S. towns, #17 of 140 in Iowa. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, conserved land lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Waterloo’s overall grade.
Conserved land6% of the land · typical IA town 3% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (44 mi) · IA 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land51 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,443 acres) · IA 19 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home91% 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 86%
LessMore
Iowa towns of 2,500+ (140)Ahead of 88%
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 George Wyth Memorial State Park, with 11.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt
Nature preserve
577 acres7.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hartman Reserve Nature Center
Park
341 acres6.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hope Martin Memorial Park
Park
177 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Leonard Katoski Greenbelt Park
Park
136 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Riverview Recreation Area
Park
349 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Robinson Bird Sanctuary
Nature preserve
79 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sherwood Park
Park
74 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 62 parks & preserves
George Wyth Memorial State Park851 acres · 11.1 mi of trail · Iowa Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsBlack Hawk Creek Greenbelt577 acres · 7.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHartman Reserve Nature Center341 acres · 6.6 mi of trail
DirectionsHope Martin Memorial Park177 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsLeonard Katoski Greenbelt Park136 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverview Recreation Area349 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRobinson Bird Sanctuary79 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSherwood Park74 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
Greenbelt Lake55 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsCedar Valley Aboretum & Botanic Gardens22 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsKatoski Greenbelt51 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsAdam's Trail77 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Exchange Park25 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Riverside Trail30 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Cedar River Park29 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsValley View Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrinker Lake346 acres
DirectionsTibbitts Park63 acres
Airline Park56 acres
Waterloo Quarry52 acres
Gates Park48 acres
DirectionsCastle Bluff Park34 acres
Rooff Park32 acres
DirectionsCedar Bend Park28 acres
DirectionsByrnes Park27 acres
DirectionsRiverfrount Stadium26 acres
DirectionsOrange School24 acres
Prairie Grove Park24 acres
DirectionsBontrager Park20 acres
DirectionsLloyd Randall Park18 acres
Springview Park17 acres
Miriams Park17 acres
Liberty Park15 acres
DirectionsSulentic Park11 acres
Lichty Park11 acres
Galloway Park11 acres
DirectionsSullivan Memorial Park10 acres
Highland Park10 acres
Paulson Park10 acres
DirectionsCloverdale Park10 acres
Morris Park9 acres
Lafayette Park9 acres
DirectionsTouchae Park7 acres
DirectionsDevonshire Park6 acres
DirectionsCedar Terrace Park5 acres
Miller Park5 acres
DirectionsCity View Hights Park5 acres
KW Paintball4 acres
Ferguson-Fields Park4 acres
Pioneer Park4 acres
Maywood Park4 acres
Waterworks Park3 acres
RiverLoop3 acres
DirectionsSouthland Park3 acres
DirectionsLincoln Park3 acres
DirectionsWashington Park2 acres
Hellmans Field2 acres
Elks Memorial Park2 acres
DirectionsHighland Square Park2 acres
Valley High Drive Park1 acres
Soldiers and Sailors Park1 acres
DirectionsCastle Hill Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,530 conserved acres
6% of Waterloo’s land. Who manages Waterloo’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources1,110 ac
Town or city1,037 ac
County300 ac
Private owners58 ac
Other state land24 ac
State Park · 1,110 acLocal Park · 676 acLocal Conservation Area · 246 acLocal Recreation Area · 231 acState Other or Unknown · 174 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Wyth State Park State Park | State natural resources | 1,110 | Open |
| Riverview Recreation Area Local Park | Town or city | 249 | Open |
| Hartman Reserve Nature Center Local Conservation Area | County | 237 | Open |
| Hope Martin Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 183 | Open |
| Riverview OHV Area State Other or Unknown | Town or city | 141 | Open |
| Robinson Bird Sanctuary Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 82 | Open |
| Tibbitts Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 63 | Open |
| Katoski Greenbelt Private Conservation | Private owners | 58 | Open |
| Hartman Bluff State Preserve State Conservation Area | County | 34 | Open |
| Exchange Park Local Park | Town or city | 29 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
91 places to go in Waterloo
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Waterloo
5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Waterloo
Gates Park Waterloo Municipal PoolIn Gates Park
DirectionsTsunami Bay
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Waterloo
Akua Maze
DirectionsAvarium
DirectionsAwa Playground
DirectionsIrving Elementary School Playground
DirectionsIrving Elementary school Playground
DirectionsKingsley Elementary School Playground
DirectionsKingsley Elementary School Playground
DirectionsLowell Elementary School Playground
Directions4 more playgrounds
Mark's ParkIn RiverLoop
DirectionsPengali Ruin
DirectionsSand Castle
DirectionsTamikoa Grotto
Directions70 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Waterloo
Waterloo Dog ParkIn Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt
DirectionsBoat launches in Waterloo
Brinker Lake AccessIn Brinker Lake
DirectionsPlus 5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Waterloo
Exchange Berm HillIn Exchange Park
DirectionsExchange Berm HillIn Exchange Park
DirectionsExchange Berm HillIn Riverfrount Stadium
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Waterloo
4th Street GardenSacred Heart, EMBARC
DirectionsEMBARC GardenEMBARC
DirectionsNEIFB Community GardenNortheast Iowa Food Bank
DirectionsPeople's GardenPeople's Community Health Clinic
DirectionsTrails & water
12 lakes & rivers
Biking & sports
51 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.8 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
49 mi
off-road bike paths
0.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
40Tennis
32Baseball
20Soccer
12Basketball
8Beach volleyball
5Football
2Pickleball
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →30 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Rensselaer Russell HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itSnowden HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itDunsmore HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itWaterloo Public Library (West Branch)Building · listed 1983
About itYMCA BuildingBuilding · listed 1983
About itHighland Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984
About itBlack Hawk County Soldiers Memorial HallBuilding · listed 1988
About itFire Station No. 2Building · listed 1988
About itHotel Russell-LamsonBuilding · listed 1988
About itWaterloo Public Library-East Side BranchBuilding · listed 1988
About itHenry Weis HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itChicago, Great Western Railroad-Waterloo Freight DepotBuilding · listed 1997
About it18 more on the History page.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Waterloo
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 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 31 | 45 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 46 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
January is the driest month (1.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Waterloo →
Next door
Waterloo and its neighbors
Waterloo has the most mapped trails of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | 6% | 0.7 | 51 | 91% | A |
| Evansdale | 9% | under 0.1 | 58 | 95% | B+ |
| Cedar Falls | 4% | 0.4 | 34 | 90% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waterloo
Where can I hike in Waterloo?
The longest trail networks: George Wyth Memorial State Park, 11.1 miles; Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt, 7.3 miles; Hartman Reserve Nature Center, 6.6 miles; Hope Martin Memorial Park, 3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Waterloo 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 Waterloo’s trails?
George Wyth Memorial State Park and Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waterloo?
51 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.8 of painted or protected lanes, 49 of off-road paths and 0.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Waterloo?
11,643 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waterloo or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,453 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Waterloo have?
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #17 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 Waterloo 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 →