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Dog Friendly Hiking Trails in Iowa

If your dog likes to ruff it, bring Fido hiking in Iowa. Our dog friendly hiking section includes everything from easy one-hour walks to fantastic overnight trips in Iowa that won’t be soon forgotten. Seriously, go take a hike!

Pet Friendly Maquoketa Caves State Park

Maquoketa Caves State Park

Maquoketa Caves State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome at Maquoketa Caves State Park in Maquoketa, IA. This pet-friendly destination is famed for the caves and named for the Native Americans who once lived there. You and Fido can search the park for artifacts such as pottery, tools and projectile points made of stone. There are six miles of trails that explore the wooded surroundings and prairie, leading to the main attractions of the area, the Natural Bridge, Balanced Rock and Dancehall Cave.

Pet Friendly Iowa Arboretum

Iowa Arboretum

Iowa Arboretum in Madrid, IA features beautiful, dog-friendly woodland and prairie walking trails. It's a great place to connect with nature and Fido. There are 160 acres of gardens, forests and prairies populated with century-old oak trees and native grasses. Please keep your dog on a leash and note that pets are not allowed in the visitor center.

Ledges State Park

Ledges State Park

Dogs are allowed to join their owners at Ledges State Park in Madrid, IA. Pea's Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River, carves through a craggy sandstone gorge which can be viewed from the arch stone bridge at this pet-friendly park. There are a number of picnic spots which offer great views and tranquil surroundings. Adventurous dogs can tackle the four miles of hiking trails that lead to scenic overlooks of the canyon below, as long as they are on a leash under six feet in length.

The Brenton Arboretum

Dallas Center, IA

The Brenton Arboretum

The Brenton Arboretum is a 143-acre landscape in the heart of Iowa agricultural land. Located in Dallas Center, IA, this pet-friendly attraction welcomes you and FIdo to explore thousands of trees, beautiful prairies and wildflower meadows, streams and ponds, and miles of grassy trails. Dogs must remain on a leash during their visit, and an annual membership or a day pass per dog is required.

Backbone State Park

Backbone State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome to join their owners at Backbone State Park in Dundee, IA. This pet-friendly park is popular due to the 21 miles of trails that can be found around the area. Many of these will lead you through cedar trees and up rocky staircases, and a few lead to one of the highest points in northeast Iowa, the Devil's Backbone. The park also features picnic shelters with views out over the trees. Please remember to clean up after your pets during your visit.

Pikes Peak State Park

Pikes Peak State Park

Pikes Peak State Park is a pet-friendly destination in McGregor, IA. Leashed dogs are invited to join their owners on eleven-and-a-half miles of trails around the park, many of which lead through wooded bluffs and valleys. This picturesque park is hugely popular among visitors on the hunt for the perfect picture of the Mississippi River, and you may even spot some ancient fossil remains along the way.

Wildcat Den State Park

Wildcat Den State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome at Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine, IA. This pet-friendly park is popular among dog walkers looking to tour the varied trail system in the park. Many of the trails wind through a variety of terrain, leading to points of interest like Steamboat Rock, Devil's Punch Bowl and Fat Man's Squeeze. You'll also come across Pine Creek Grist Mill, a mid-19th century mill that was built by an early settler.

Effigy Mounds National Monument

Harpers Ferry, IA

Effigy Mounds National Monument

Effigy Mounds National Monument is a dog-friendly attraction in Harpers Ferry, IA. The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. Leashed dogs are welcome to wander around with you on the designated trails, as long as you stay off the mounds and clean up after your pets. The pathways lead to great views of the Mississippi.

Rodeo Park

Fort Madison, IA

Rodeo Park is a pet-friendly destination in Fort Madison, IA. This 234-acre park is full of trails to explore with your pooch. On your walks around the park, you'll discover playground equipment, six open shelters, restrooms, horseshoe pits, softball diamonds, an enclosed shelter, some camping spots, a 36-hole disc golf course, a 1.5-mile hiking and biking trail, and soccer fields. Adjacent to the trail on the south side of the park, you'll also find the Canine Corral Dog Park for some off-leash play.

Mississippi Riverwalk

Mississippi Riverwalk

Leashed dogs are welcome to join their humans for a walk along the Mississippi Riverwalk in Dubuque, IA. Enjoy a scenic stroll with Fido, or relax with a picnic on the lawn while taking in river views with your best friend by your side. A parking lot is located at 3rd and Bell Street near the Mississippi Riverwalk Gazebo.

High Trestle Trail

High Trestle Trail

The High Trestle Trail is one of 1600 rail-trails supported by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that is working to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Previously an unused railroad corridor, this "rail-trail" is now a great place to walk Fido in Ankeny! The map below shows a parking area with convenient access to the High Trestle Trail. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has generously provided map data for this trail to Bring Fido for informational purposes only. For more detailed trail information, please visit TrailLink.com.

Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens

Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens

Leashed dogs are welcome to join you for a stroll through the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens in Des Moines, IA. This pet-friendly attraction, situated on 1.7 acres south of the Botanical Garden, features an Asian pavilion atop a bridge, which spans a pond cascading into the Des Moines River. Stone pagodas, bonsai-like evergreens, lanterns and sculptural rock formations are also present in the Gardens. Dogs must be leashed and cleaned up after during their visit.

Elinor Bedell State Park

Spirit Lake, IA

Elinor Bedell State Park

Dogs are allowed to join their owners at pet-friendly Elinor Bedell State Park in Spirit Lake, IA. Located on the east shore of East Okoboji Lake, the park is one of the last remaining open areas next to the Iowa Great Lakes. The natural landscape in the area consists of prairies, wetlands and oak forests that can be explored on the many trails along the shoreline. You can bring Fido with you as long as they are cleaned up after and kept on a leash during your visit.

Honey Creek State Park

Honey Creek State Park

Honey Creek State Park is dog-friendly destination in Moravia, where you are invited to bring Fido with you to enjoy the home of Iowa's second largest lake, Lake Rathbun. The rolling hills surrounding the lake provide an epic background for visitors to enjoy while walking on the five miles of multi-use trails and the Woodland Interpretive Trail. There are also a couple of picnic areas where leashed dogs are welcome.

Gray's Lake Park

Gray's Lake Park

Located in the heart of the Des Moines Metro area, Gray's Lake Park is a dog-friendly spot that's perfect for a walk with your leashed pup. The 167-acre park features a 1.9-mile lit trail, which encircles the lake. Dogs are not allowed on the designated swimming beach, and pets must be cleaned up after during their visit. Pet waste stations are located every half mile along the trail for your convenience. Please note that the park hours vary seasonally.

Palisades-Kepler State Park

Mount Vernon, IA

Palisades-Kepler State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome at Palisades-Kepler State Park in Mount Vernon, IA. This 840-acre park is made up of river bluffs and deep ravines. Enjoy hiking along six miles of pet-friendly trails, leading you through woods of hardwood trees and meadows of wildflowers that are home to white-tailed deer and wild turkeys.

Big Creek State Park

Big Creek State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome at Big Creek State Park in Polk City, IA, where a diversion dam has formed an 866-acre reservoir. In addition to the lake itself, the park also includes shelters, picnic areas, a playground and a multi-purpose sports field. You and Fido are welcome to wander the 26-mile paved trail from the beach south through the Saylorville Lake area all the way to Des Moines.

Walnut Woods State Park

West Des Moines, IA

Walnut Woods State Park

Walnut Woods State Park is a pet-friendly destination in West Des Moines, IA. You are welcome to bring Fido with you to enjoy 260 acres of woodlands along the banks of Raccoon River. The two and a half miles of trails that weave through the black walnut trees, the largest surviving natural stand of these trees in the country, are a great attraction for dogs and their owners. Dogs are allowed on the trails, as long as they are cleaned up after and remain on a leash under six feet.

Bellevue State Park

Bellevue State Park

Dogs are welcome at Bellevue State Park in Bellevue, IA. This pet-friendly park is home to a colorful butterfly garden, a number of trails and stunning views. Dogs must be on a six-foot leash for the duration of their visit, and owners are reminded to clean up after their pets.

Swinging Bridge

Columbus Junction, IA

Swinging Bridge

The Swinging Bridge in Columbus Junction, Iowa is pet friendly. The original bridge was constructed in 1886 and was also known as the Lover's Leap Bridge, where a lover was rumored to have jumped to her death many years ago. Leashed dogs are welcome to walk along the trail and cross the bridge, if they don't mind the swing.

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