April 19, 2026, 5:55 a.m. CT
Two Iowa landmarks recently made USA TODAY’S 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards list as some of the best riverwalks and recreational trails in the country.
The Mississippi Riverwalk in Dubuque and the High Trestle Trail in central Iowa made USA TODAY’s top 10 lists for the best community spaces in the United States.
See how these two Iowa destinations compare to others in their respective categories.
Where the Mississippi Riverwalk placed among the best riverwalks
The Mississippi Riverwalk placed tenth among the best riverwalks across the country, according to USA TODAY 10BEST.
Here are the riverwalks that USA TODAY 10BEST. ranked above the Mississippi Riverwalk:
- San Antonio River Walk: San Antonio, Texas
- Smale Riverfront Park: Cincinnati
- Waterfront Park: Louisville, Kentucky
- Tampa Riverwalk: Tampa
- Charles River Esplanade: Boston
- Elkhart Riverwalk: Elkhart, Indiana
- Wilmington Riverwalk: Wilmington, North Carolina
- Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Riverfront Park: Spokane, Washington
- Mississippi Riverwalk: Dubuque
“The Mississippi Riverwalk in Dubuque, Iowa, makes up part of the Heritage Trail, which links the Mississippi River to the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville,” USA TODAY’S 10BEST wrote. “The Art on the River temporary exhibit features an array of public works of art that rotate each year.”
Dubuque’s famed riverwalk was No. 2 on USA TODAY’s 10BEST riverwalks the previous two years in a row.
The Mississippi Riverwalk stretches just under a mile through the Port of Dubuque and is open year‑round to the public. The Riverwalk connects visitors to nearby attractions, including the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and the Diamond Jo Casino.
How the High Trestle Trail ranked in USA TODAY’s 10BEST list
Central Iowa’s High Trestle Trail ranked No. 6 among the best recreational trails in the U.S.
A converted, paved former railroad line, the High Trestle Trail stretches 25 miles from the Carney Marsh Preserve in Ankeny through Sheldahl and Slater, then west to Madrid and Woodward.
The trail’s fame centers about 2 1/2 miles east of Woodward, with the High Trestle Bridge, a half‑mile‑long structure rising 13 stories above the Des Moines River.
Here are all the best recreational trails in the U.S., according to USA TODAY 10BEST:
- Pumpkinvine Nature Trail: Northern Indiana
- Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
- Gitchi-Gami State Trail: Northeast Minnesota
- Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail: Spokane Valley, Washington
- Katy Trail: Missouri
- High Trestle Trail: Central Iowa
- Withlacoochee State Trail: Inverness, Florida
- Tony Knowles Coastal Trail: Anchorage, Alaska
- Capital City State Trail: Madison, Wisconsin
- Great Allegheny Passage: Maryland and Pennsylvania
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
