Accessible Trails

Explore the beauty along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway with a stroll on one of these accessible trails or easy nature trails.

Council Bluffs is the trail capital of Iowa and the city has some great locations for an easy, accessible walk with beautiful views of the globally unique Loess Hills landform.

The paved trails at Bacon Creek Park in Sioux City and Glenwood Lake Park are accessible year-round (inclement weather excluded), so you can get your steps in at all times of the year!

Plan your road trip on the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway using the Explore the Byway page.

Big Lake Park

Photo: Seth Brooks

Big Lake Park is located in a beautiful setting at the foot of the Loess Hills, with Lewis and Clark Monument on a distant bluff to the north. The 191-acre City of Council Bluffs property is a popular fishing spot, even in winter.

There is a half-mile paved trail around the small lake, with numerous shelters and benches along the path. Children will enjoy the playground at the park, too.

Additionally, there is a quarter-mile paved trail at the northern end of the park with an elevated boardwalk crosses a marsh. You will have to cross Big Lake Road, however, to access this part of the park.

Big Lake Park is also the northern terminus of the Iowa Riverfront Trail.

Glenwood Lake Park

Photo: Sharon Walling (All Trails)

Glenwood Lake Park is home to many attractions in Mills County. One of the most popular activities is walking the paved half-mile trail around the beautiful lake.

There is another one-mile trail in the park, but it is not paved and thus not suitable for stroller or wheelchairs. Dog walkers and joggers use the nature trail, plus there is a disc golf course.

Also at the park, the Mills County Historical Museum features farm and home antiques and a superb collection of Native American artifacts. The Davies Amphitheater offers affordable live family entertainment on weekend evenings during the summer.

Bacon Creek Park

Photo: Lance Brisbois

Bacon Creek Park is a 239-acre recreation site operated by the city of Sioux City that provides a variety of outdoor activities around a small lake.

The three-mile paved walking trail is accessible year-round and is good for all skill levels. Generally considered an easy route, it takes one to two hours to complete. This is a popular trail for birding, walking, and road biking.

Other amenities at Bacon Creek Park include restrooms, an off-leash dog park, picnic areas, playgrounds, as well as a 6.5-mile singletrack mountain bike trail.

Iowa School for the Deaf

Photo: Travel Iowa

The Iowa School for the Deaf campus is nestled at the base of the Loess Hills on the southeast edge of Council Bluffs. Its 100 acres include a nature center and nearly one-mile paved trail, more than 50 varieties of trees, and expansive, well-groomed grounds.

Parking is available on the corner of Highway 92 and Valley View Drive, at the Lied Multipurpose Complex, and at the Iowa West Foundation Trailhead.

Iowa School for the Deaf is a pre-K to 12th grade school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students located in Council Bluffs. It serves students who live in Iowa and Nebraska.

Glenwood Archaeological State Preserve

Photo: Danelle Sorensen (All Trails)

The Glenwood Archaeological State Preserve is a low-impact recreation area The site hosts multi-use trails for running, hiking, biking, and wildlife observation.

There are approximately three miles of paved trails at the preserve. Some of the asphalt trails are in rough shape, so it may be bumpy for wheelchairs or strollers. There are a few more miles of mowed grass trails in the preserve.

There are 107 recorded archaeological sites in the preserve. However, only a small fraction of the preserve has been archaeologically surveyed, so many more sites probably exist in the preserve.

Aside from the archaeological sites within the property, one can also find forest, oak savanna, native prairie, restored prairie and agricultural grounds on the site.