Iowa Outdoor Recreation Guide

This list, while not comprehensive, offers some of your best links for planning an outdoor adventure in Iowa. 

INHF featured destinations

Iowa River Greenbelt: INHF feature about the Iowa River Greenbelt attractions including recreation info, natural features, greenbelt activities, and a map of the greenbelt.

Upper Iowa River: INHF feature focusing on the natural features of the Upper Iowa River and what INHF is doing to protect it. Also includes info on recreational features.

General Iowa tourism

Traveliowa.com: Iowa attractions, recreation info, and upcoming events as well as other travel information including accommodations, contacts, etc.

Nature centers

Iowa nature centers: Gives basic information on nature centers found in Iowa.

Environmental education/Interpretive services: Listing of educational services and resources available across the state including camps, university department contacts, and county conservation boards.

Scenic byways

Iowa Department of Transportation: Information about Iowa's scenic byways.

National Scenic Byways Program: Homepage for America's scenic byways.

Multi-use trails

INHF Iowa trails page: Gives you county by county listings of trail info with maps.

Hiking and Biking in Iowa: This DNR website offers a transportation map for bicyclists, gives tips on bicycle safety and provides various information regarding Iowa's trails.

Biking

Iowa DOT Transportation map for bicyclists: Includes maps and information on trails located in major cities throughout Iowa.

BIKEIOWA: Cycling news, upcoming events, and features about cycling in Iowa.

RAGBRAI: Home page for the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.

Iowa Coalition of Off-Road Riders: Trail and activity information for mountain bike trails across the state.

Bird Watching

Where to bird in Iowa: Lists of state birding organizations, hotspots for birding and important links for birding in Iowa.

Audubon, Iowa chapters: Information on Audubon's local chapters and how you can get involved.

Iowabirds.org: Birding locations, interactive maps, events calendar, rare bird species, and membership information.

Important Bird Areas (IBAs) Program: information on the IBA program from Iowa Audubon. Includes identification of essential bird areas, site monitoring, conservation and event listings.

Camping/Parks

Iowa Destinations: DNR Maps of Iowa State Parks including specific park information on history, facilities, camping, trails, river activities, nearby towns, and contact info.

Public campgrounds: General info about camping in Iowa including registration, camping fees, listing of camping sites at state parks, seasonal info.

Canoeing and Kayaking

Canoeing and Kayaking Guide: DNR information on specific water trails in Iowa, useful resources and many water-reveling opportunities.

USGS streamflow data: Gage height, streamflow, and median height information for rivers across the state.

Fishing

Fish Iowa: DNR website provides fishing locations, types of fish in Iowa, regulations, licenses, fishing news, programming, and more. 

Hunting

Hunting Iowa: DNR hunting & trapping regulations, registration information and wildlife management areas.