One of the most underrated waterfalls in Iowa can be found at Lake MacBride State Park, where the lake flows across a rocky natural spillway along a series of short and shallow cascades. It’s one of the most scenic places in the Hawkeye State! Bring your whole family out to enjoy a hike through the park and a picnic on the rocks and you’ll be so happy you discovered this quiet natural oasis. Looking for waterfalls near me? No worries: this trail will scratch that itch for you time and time again!

The waterfall loop trail is easy to get to - you can access it by walking across the spillway from the campground, or pick up the trailhead at the MacBride Nature and Recreation Area.

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From the Nature Area, a 1.7 mile loop trail takes you through a beautiful forest and straight to MacBride Falls.

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When you finally arrive at the cascades, you’ll realize that it was worth all of the effort it takes to walk here!

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On a hot summer day, you can cool off by splashing and wading in the water just off the shores of Lake MacBride.

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It’s no wonder this underrated Iowa waterfall is a favorite of those who discover it. There’s so much space to sit down and relax by the water. Pack a picnic and enjoy the beauty of the Hawkeye State.

Google Local / Shravan Kumar

This easy and shady trail is a great place to hike in Iowa during the summertime (okay, or anytime), and by the time you get to the falls, you’ll be ready to get your feet wet! As it turns out, Iowa is a wonderful state for anyone that loves the great outdoors. In beautiful Iowa, the outdoors most certainly is pretty great.

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Google Local / Brett Meyer

AllTrails / Linda Stohler

AllTrails / Ben Griggs

Google Local / Shravan Kumar

For more of the most beautiful places in Iowa, check out some of the most beautiful parts of Iowa that will always be waiting for you.

 

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Address: Lake Macbride State Park, 3525 Hwy 382 NE, Solon, IA 52333, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Waterfalls Near Me July 28, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the best waterfall hikes in Iowa?   Iowa is home to not one but at least six excellent waterfall hikes, and you’re sure to love them all. If you prefer your Iowa hiking trails to be short, sweet, and to the point, do the 0.9-mile hike on the Bridal Veil Trail within Pikes Peak State Park. It’s short – obviously under one mile long – and it leads to an incredible bluff overlook and, of course, Iowa’s famed Bridal Veil Falls. In Decorah, Iowa, you’ll find a hike that’s a little longer, at 1.8 miles long, that leads to Malanaphy Falls. It’s called, appropriately, Malanaphy Falls Trail, and it leads to the upper portion of the cascade.   What are the most amazing hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa?   Other than the two trails outlined above, there are a few more excellent hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa you can’t bear to miss, like the Clive Greenbelt Trail, which goes from University Park to Campbell and is 7.3 miles long. It’s a paved, shaded, and easy stroll full of twists and turns, and it includes a stunning creek and various seasonal falls. They might be small, but they’re beautiful. Another excellent hiking trail with a waterfall in Iowa is the Weeping Rock and Hickory Ridge Loop Trail, at Pikes Peak State Park. It’s 3.9 miles long and leads not only to a waterfall but also to some of the best views in Iowa!   How many waterfalls in Iowa are there?   Iowa might be kind of a flat place, but that doesn’t mean there are no waterfalls around here! There are at least a dozen, perhaps more, waterfalls in Iowa worth visiting. Some of our favorite waterfalls in Iowa include stunning beauties like Bridal Veil Falls at Pikes Peak State Park. You’ll also be positively enchanted by waterfalls in Iowa like the Ledges State Park waterfall, in Boone, and MacBride Falls in Solon.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

Waterfalls Near Me

July 28, 2022

Tori Jane

What are some of the best waterfall hikes in Iowa?   Iowa is home to not one but at least six excellent waterfall hikes, and you’re sure to love them all. If you prefer your Iowa hiking trails to be short, sweet, and to the point, do the 0.9-mile hike on the Bridal Veil Trail within Pikes Peak State Park. It’s short – obviously under one mile long – and it leads to an incredible bluff overlook and, of course, Iowa’s famed Bridal Veil Falls. In Decorah, Iowa, you’ll find a hike that’s a little longer, at 1.8 miles long, that leads to Malanaphy Falls. It’s called, appropriately, Malanaphy Falls Trail, and it leads to the upper portion of the cascade.   What are the most amazing hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa?   Other than the two trails outlined above, there are a few more excellent hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa you can’t bear to miss, like the Clive Greenbelt Trail, which goes from University Park to Campbell and is 7.3 miles long. It’s a paved, shaded, and easy stroll full of twists and turns, and it includes a stunning creek and various seasonal falls. They might be small, but they’re beautiful. Another excellent hiking trail with a waterfall in Iowa is the Weeping Rock and Hickory Ridge Loop Trail, at Pikes Peak State Park. It’s 3.9 miles long and leads not only to a waterfall but also to some of the best views in Iowa!   How many waterfalls in Iowa are there?   Iowa might be kind of a flat place, but that doesn’t mean there are no waterfalls around here! There are at least a dozen, perhaps more, waterfalls in Iowa worth visiting. Some of our favorite waterfalls in Iowa include stunning beauties like Bridal Veil Falls at Pikes Peak State Park. You’ll also be positively enchanted by waterfalls in Iowa like the Ledges State Park waterfall, in Boone, and MacBride Falls in Solon.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Iowa is home to not one but at least six excellent waterfall hikes, and you’re sure to love them all. If you prefer your Iowa hiking trails to be short, sweet, and to the point, do the 0.9-mile hike on the Bridal Veil Trail within Pikes Peak State Park. It’s short – obviously under one mile long – and it leads to an incredible bluff overlook and, of course, Iowa’s famed Bridal Veil Falls. In Decorah, Iowa, you’ll find a hike that’s a little longer, at 1.8 miles long, that leads to Malanaphy Falls. It’s called, appropriately, Malanaphy Falls Trail, and it leads to the upper portion of the cascade.  

What are the most amazing hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa?  

Other than the two trails outlined above, there are a few more excellent hiking trails with waterfalls in Iowa you can’t bear to miss, like the Clive Greenbelt Trail, which goes from University Park to Campbell and is 7.3 miles long. It’s a paved, shaded, and easy stroll full of twists and turns, and it includes a stunning creek and various seasonal falls. They might be small, but they’re beautiful. Another excellent hiking trail with a waterfall in Iowa is the Weeping Rock and Hickory Ridge Loop Trail, at Pikes Peak State Park. It’s 3.9 miles long and leads not only to a waterfall but also to some of the best views in Iowa!  

How many waterfalls in Iowa are there?  

Iowa might be kind of a flat place, but that doesn’t mean there are no waterfalls around here! There are at least a dozen, perhaps more, waterfalls in Iowa worth visiting. Some of our favorite waterfalls in Iowa include stunning beauties like Bridal Veil Falls at Pikes Peak State Park. You’ll also be positively enchanted by waterfalls in Iowa like the Ledges State Park waterfall, in Boone, and MacBride Falls in Solon.