Best Places to See Fall Leaves in Des Moines, Iowa
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” Anne from Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery said it best. Our world becomes vibrant with colors in autumn. Gather the family, put on your matching flannel shirts and explore the local foliage as you become a leaf peeper today.
Traditionally, the best time for fall colors in central Iowa is the first through third weeks of October – you can see more about fall color forecasting and information about different tree leaves on the Iowa DNR website.
Looking for more fall fun? Check out our detailed lists of pumpkin patches, fall festivals and all things fall.
Listed in alphabetical order; let me know if I missed any of your favorites and I’ll add them!
Annett Nature Center – Indianola
Address: 15565 118th Ave, Indianola, IA 50125
Footing: Grass
Special notes: Two observation towers to climb and see the trees from. There are a variety of short trails that connect. See our full review here.
Brenton Arboretum – Dallas Center
Address: 25141 260th St, Dallas Center, IA 50063
Footing: Grass
Special Notes: The natural playscape makes this an extra fun trip! See our full review here.
Brown’s Woods – Des Moines
Address: 465 Brown’s Woods Dr, West Des Moines, IA 50265
Footing: Gravel and dirt
Special Notes: There is a range of hiking trails including a short gravel loop, perfect for littles. See our full review here.
Easter Lake – Des Moines
Address: 2830 Easter Lake Dr, Des Moines, IA 50320
Footing: Paved and dirt
Special Notes: Take the Mark C. Ackelson Trail to see the covered bridge. Learn Athene North Shore Recreation Area, one of the most universally accessible-designed parks in the nation.
High Trestle Trail – Ankeny
Address: 2335 QF Lane, Madrid, IA 50156 (closest parking lot to the bridge)
Footing: Paved
Special Notes: Go close to sunset to see the High Trestle Trail Bridge light up. See our full review here.
Iowa Arboretum & Gardens
Address: 1875 Peach Ave, Madrid, IA 50156
Footing: Dirt
Special Notes: The Prairie and Woodland Trails are located on the east side of the road. The Herrick Memorial Trail features a 133-step path down to a creek. Be sure to check out the NEW Treehouse Village. See our full review here.
Greenbelt Trail – Clive
Address: (There are multiple places to access the trail. A great place to start is Campbell Recreation Area.) 12385 Woodlands Pkwy, Clive, IA 50325
Footing: Paved
Special Notes: The trail is 11 miles in length. A great place to bike and see the fall colors. A playground is located near 100th Street in Clive. Learn more here.
Greenwood Park & Ashworth Trails – Des Moines
Address: 4500 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312
Footing: Dirt and paved options.
Special Notes: The main trail goes near a train track and if you follow it far enough you’ll pass a horse farm that is fun to look at (about 2 miles). The dirt trails are very popular with bikers. See our full review here.
Jester Park – Granger
Address: 11121 NW Jester Park Dr, Granger, IA 50109
Footing: Dirt
Special Notes: There is a short trail that goes around the Discovery Pond which gives you a view of the trees and pond, which makes it perfect for younger children. The natural playscape is always fun. See our full review here.
Kuehn Conservation Area – Earlham
Address: 32828 Houston Trail, Earlham, IA 50072
Footing: Gravel, dirt, grass
Special Notes: A great mix of forest and prairie to see fall foliage from. See our full review here.
Lake Ahquabi State Park – Indianola
Address: 16510 118th Avenue, Indianola, IA 50125
Footing: Dirt/grass
Special Notes: The loop around the lake is about 4 miles. Playground available. See our full review here.
Ledges State Park – Boone
Address: 1515 P Ave, Madrid, IA 50156
Footing: Rock, dirt.
Special Notes: Pictured below is the Lost Lake Trail, which is great for seeing trees. See our full review here.
Pammel State Park – Winterset
Address: 1818 Pammel Park Rd, Winterset, IA 50273
Footing: Grass/dirt
Special Notes: The backbone trail is especially pretty for seeing fall colors. Playgrounds are available. Fall is a great time to visit the covered bridges too. See our full review here.
Saylorville Lake – Ankeny
Address: 8250 NW Horseshoe Rd, Polk City, IA 50226 (Visitor Center)
Footing: Paves and dirt trails
Special Notes: The Neal Smith Trail goes along the eastern shore of Saylorville Lake and is paved. The picture below is on the trail behind the visitor center. See our guide to Saylorville Lake.
Southwoods Park – West Des Moines
Address: 350 S. 35th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265
Footing: Paved trail and dirt trail
Special Notes: The paved path is a nice length for toddlers, the dirt path is steeper and goes deeper into the woods. See our full review here.
Sycamore Trails – Des Moines
Address: 4640 NW 66th Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131
Footing: Dirt and paved, on opposite sides of the river.
Special Notes: This goes along the western banks of the Des Moines River. Trailheads can be tricky to find, be sure to look at the maps linked above. See our full review here.
Thomas Mitchell Park – Mitchellville
Address: 4590 NE 108th St, Mitchellville, IA 50169
Footing: Paved and Grass/dirt
Special Notes: A paved trail goes around the playground nearby. See our full review here.
Winterset City Park – Winterset
Address: E. South St and, S 9th St, Winterset, IA 50273
Footing: Paved road that you can hike up to the tower, dirt trail down from the tower if you drive up.
Special Notes: Neat stone tower to climb and lookout. You can walk from the playground area to the stone tower but it is a tough hike. The road to drive up does close once it gets icy. Learn about the all-inclusive playground here or plan a day trip to Winterset.
Yellow Banks Park – Pleasant Hill
Address: 6801 SE 32nd Ave, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
Footing: Grass/dirt
Special Notes: Playground nearby. See our full review here.
Zo El Annett Woods – Prole
Address: 501 699 Hempstead Pl, Prole, IA 50229
Footing: Dirt
Special Notes: Nice loop trail with a suspension bridge. See our full review here.
Other Midwest Spots for Fall Leaves
If you’re looking for a road trip, readers also suggested Backbone State Park (roughly 3 hours away), Wild Cat Den State Park (roughly 2.5 hours away), or the Loess Hills (roughly 2.5 hours away). And if you want to see autumn at its finest then add Door County, WI to your bucket list. It is a sight to behold in the fall.
