This flat Midwestern state is best known for its cornfields. Yet even here, MTB trail building is exploding

Cone Park, Sioux City. Photo: Adam Munich, Rock Solid Trail Contracting

If Ohio is an unlikely spot for mountain bike trail building to explode, Iowa is even less so. The Midwestern state is known for flat cornfields and rows of windmills, not topographical variety and wooded singletrack trails. But, as with Ohio, mountain bike trail access across the state is transforming rapidly.

One way to interpret this trend is that while states like Ohio and Iowa are definitely behind the curve, they’ve finally gotten on board and caught the wave of modern trail development pioneered by Midwestern states like Arkansas and Michigan, as well as Northeastern hotbeds like Vermont. The moral of the story is that mountain bikers live everywhere, and we all deserve to have great trails close to home.

Modern trail building aside, if you don’t live in Iowa, you’ll probably never plan a trip to ride here. But that’s ok: this list is mostly for the local riders. Even so, if you’re passing through on a cross-country road trip, you owe it to yourself to stop at one of these networks if it’s convenient. I did exactly that in 2024 and stopped to ride the fresh trails at Cone Park. It was the perfect break during two days of monotonous interstate driving.

Whether you’re a local shredder or just passing through, here are five Iowa trails to put on your hit list.

Photo: Adam Munich, Rock Solid Trail Contracting

Cone Park, Sioux City

The 2024 trail development at Sioux City’s Cone Park has redefined what’s possible in Iowa. This 10-mile trail system was built by renowned Rock Solid Trail Contracting, and it features everything that you’ve come to expect from modern trail systems: downhill flow trails and jump lines, chunky tech trails, looping cross country trails, and plenty of variety for everyone to choose from. The trail network was built on one of the tallest hills in the region, and Rock Solid made the most of the vert to build some highly entertaining descents.

In addition to the singletrack development, there’s a paved pump track at the main trailhead, along with a paved bike park featuring progressive jump lines all the way up to expert-level. The vertical paved lips, with high-commitment features like a whale tail, are not to be trifled with. A secondary trailhead also provides a kid-friendly skills area. And the most unusual feature? A magic carpet lift that will transport riders up the hill if they don’t want to pedal.

Sunderbruch Park, Davenport

While Sunderbruch Park only offers roughly seven miles of singletrack, these top-tier trails are widely regarded as some of the best in the state. The trail system utilizes the local ravines and ridges to deliver the full gamut of difficulty levels, from beginner loops to demanding black diamond descents. Intermediate riders will absolutely love rallying the massive, suspended wooden S-curve berm on the Jubilee trail, while expert mountain bikers will find plenty to test their mettle, including a dedicated jump line, challenging creek crossings, and technical skinnies.

None of this would be possible without the tireless trail builders at Friends of Off-Road Cycling (FORC), who first partnered with the city back in 2005. They’re the masterminds behind Sunderbruch’s expansive wooden bridges, which not only protect the trails against the elements but also elevate the riding experience to a whole new level.

Fourmile Mountain Bike Park, Des Moines

Now “the biggest dedicated bike park in the greater Des Moines area,” Fourmile Mountain Bike Park features 3.5 miles of professionally-built trails with progressive jump lines ranging from beginner to advanced. The flow trails offer the typical tabletops, rollers, and berms, while four downhill trails of varying difficulty allow riders to work their way up to the black diamond lines in the jump park. Multiple cross-country trails round out the beginner-friendly side of things. Builder Aaron Steele of Tailored Trails worked to give the park “the feel of a bigger and progressive difficulty loop network” by incorporating imported rock, dirt, and wood structures — no small feat given the relatively flat terrain.

The park sits in the middle of a very urban area, and it took over five years and $1.3 million in funding to become a reality — money raised through a combination of grants, bonds, and support from the local mountain bike club, Central Iowa Trails Association (CITA). A last-minute windfall of 9,500 cubic yards of surplus dirt allowed the team to develop gravity trails off the resulting dirt pile, including a fun green trail with rollers and a BMX-style jump line with a steep drop from an over/under bridge. Conservation is also central to the park’s mission: the trails were carefully laid out to avoid a floodplain, and Polk County Conservation has committed to ongoing land and stream restoration throughout the property.

Full Article: “The biggest mountain bike park in Des Moines has just opened”

Van Peenen Park, Decorah

“Van Peenen Park features 20 miles of some of Iowa’s earliest hand-built MTB trails, lovingly cared for by the community for over 40 years,” said Benji Nichols, Secreta Decorah Human Powered Trails (DHPT). The history here runs deep: “the system was home to one of Iowa’s earliest MTB races for over 25 years‚ the Decorah Time Trials.”

The trails are accessible right from downtown Decorah. There are many potential trailheads you can begin from, including other nearby connected parks like Dunning’s Spring and Ice Cave. With multiple ridges and valleys, the trail system boasts respectable elevation for Iowa. “In general, the trails are within tightly wooded areas, with rocky limestone outcroppings, and feature many steep climbs that will challenge most riders, runners, and hikers,” said Nichols.

Sugar Bottom, Iowa City

Another historic trail system, Sugar Bottom is widely considered the birthplace of mountain biking in Iowa. Built and maintained by the Iowa Coalition of Off-Road Riders (ICORR) on the heavily wooded shores of Coralville Lake, this roughly 12-mile network offers a series of one-way interconnected loops. The directional travel allows you to carry your momentum through the dense forests without worrying about oncoming traffic.

Out on the singletrack, you’ll encounter a full spectrum of trail flavors that showcase the region’s surprisingly rugged topography. You’ll transition from blazing fast, flowy green loops near the trailhead to tight, rooty black diamond ravines. Through it all, ICORR’s meticulous maintenance is on display: benched sidehill cuts and strategically armored climbs keep the tread running fast and smooth year after year. Note that because the system sits down in the river valley, the dirt can take a bit longer to dry out after a heavy Midwest downpour, but when it’s tacky, the grip is absolutely hero.