Snowmobile Trails in Iowa

Virtually all of Iowa's 5,000 miles of snowmobile trails lie in the northern half of the state, north of I-80. For the most part that's due to simple demographics---I-80 runs east-west through the state, through Iowa City and Des Moines, and most population centers are in the northern half of the state. Trails are groomed by more than 60 snowmobile clubs located in the state's upper region. Trail environments change from hilly and wooded in the eastern part of the state, to farmlands and waterways in central Iowa, to the vast expanses of plains in the west.

  1. Raccoon River Valley Trail

    • Officially 56 miles long, the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a paved trail that caters to hikers, bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts during nonwinter months. But it turns into a network of snowmobile trails during winter months, thanks in large measure to the Raccoon Valley Snow Chasers. The snowmobile club grooms trails and promotes the sport in the three counties where the Raccoon River Valley Trail runs---Dallas, Greene and Guthrie. The central Iowa location near Des Moines makes the trail one of the most traveled in the state. Formed in 2008 in conjunction with the Iowa DNR, the Raccoon Valley Snow Chasers convinced county officials to allow snowmobiling on the 56-mile paved trail system, as long as there is a base of 4 inches of snow. No track studs are allowed on sleds while on the RRVT and you must have RRVT trail permits ($2 per day, $10 per year). There also are a lot of towns within the RRVT system, so heed signs in village and town limits.

    Three Rivers Trail

    • The Three Rivers Trail runs east from Rolfe in Pocahontas County, north of Humboldt in Humboldt County, to Eagle Grove in Wright County. The 35-mile-long rails-to-trails system crosses the two upper branches of the Des Moines River as well as Boone River. Wooded habitat that hugs the river valleys gives way to marshland, farmland and expansive prairie views. Aside from Rolfe and Eagle Grove, trailheads are located in Rutland, Humboldt and Dakota City. The major roads it crosses are the north-south State 169 and east-west County 3. The 10-foot-wide trails have a crushed limestone base. There are restrooms and showers in Rolfe, but no amenities again until Rutland.

    Iowa Snowdrifters Trail System

    • Started in the 1970s, the Snowdrifters snowmobile club maintains more than 220 miles of trails, mostly in Johnson County in east-central Iowa. Elements of the trail system also encompass Benton, Iowa, Linn and Washington counties. The club developed the majority of the trail system on its own, working with county officials, businesses and landowners. The system is a veritable cornucopia of small towns and villages linked by the trails, interspersed with wooded trails, tight turns, farms and fields. According to the Snowdrifters' website, the trail system connects the towns of Ely, Shueyville, Western, Walford, Fairfax, Norway, Blairstown, Solon, Sutliff, North Liberty, Tiffin, Cosgrove, Homestead, Amana, Windham and Kalona. With so many towns along the route, food, fuel and other amenities are never far away.