This place is awesome and always a destination when we need to touch Ledges State Park is one of our favorite places to take visitors when we want to show off just how beautiful this part of Iowa really is. It never disappoints. We've spent so much time here exploring, hiking, and driving through the water crossings -- which is always a blast, especially when you accidentally (on purpose) splash water all over the kids waiting nearby. So much fun. I have way too many pictures from this place, and somehow it still feels different every time we go. On our most recent visit, we brought Kim's parents to see the fall colors. We missed peak color by a bit, but honestly, it was still beautiful. Even when it's not at its "perfect" moment, Ledges is still worth the trip. If you want nature, scenery, and a spot that never gets old, this is it read more

See all

Nestled in the Iowa Central Plains, just north of Des Moines, is a hidden gem called Ledges State Park. Established in 1924, this 100-year-old park has beautiful vegetation and wonderful camping spots. Picking Chris are available for those. They just want to stop in and check out the area for the day. Camping spots are a mixed combination of primitive, electric only, and electric / water,/ sewer combo spaces. Bathrooms include showers and are kept in very neat and clean manner. Reservations for camping can be made online and there are a number of spots that are walk in only. June is definitely their high month so checking out availability ahead of time is recommended There are a number of hiking / running paths in the area that allow for all levels of ability. The park includes a boat ramp to the Des Moines river so bring your fishing poles too. Smaller streams in the area offer little swimming spots and splash pads for kids, but does require parental supervision. Camp spots typically include picnic table firing, and well cleared out area for your equipment. Check park rules for details. Leashed pets are allowed. Nice playground offers a great central meeting area for the kiddies. There are camp hosts on site that will immediately attend to any maintenance issue. Within short distance to some of the most excellent bike paths in Iowa including the famous high trestle bridge and definitely some awesome ice cream parlors at trailhead in small towns. The Iowa Arboretum is a short drive from the campground if you want to see some beautiful Flora and Fauna (there is admission fee). An abundance of aviary wildlife in the area for birdwatchers. Exceptionally quiet and a great spot for stargazers. Don't forget your bug spray! read more

See all

A hidden gem that was an outstanding recent visit! It appears small and relatively bland initially, but veering into the trailheads produces a spectacular result--plenty of parking, no refreshments, and a bit challenging for the mobility impaired. We started on the Lost Lake Trail and thoroughly enjoyed the steep hikes that led to sensational Lost Lake views that featured sandstone ledges (hence, the name) and greenery. We walked around the lake and ascended to every available hike on the property. Loved it and picked a perfect day to enjoy the scenery. We will return, as it is near The High Trestle Bridge and only a 20-minute ride from Ames. read more

See all

Beautiful park ,love walking there . Picnic and just try to relax there . Love the beautifull nature

Best place in central Iowa to walk/hike great views and trails. It is very elevated meaning there's steep hills but the trails are keep in great condition. Fun spots to picnic with beautiful views of the stream. And hills. Definitely a must see spot in Iowa. read more

GREAT park for Fall colors as we found out yesterday, Oct. 21st. Find a park map online and park near Oak Woods Shelter, or in another parking area just a bit further up the road (although this 2nd lot may be full.) The trails from this shelter are pretty easy, but they get tougher. 1) Watch out for steep declines and inclines, especially if it has rained. 2) Poured concrete slabs make the trails easier, but they can still be slippery if muddy. 3) RR ties are used as steps in some areas, and you'll see an example in a pic. Just use your best judgement, and if it looks tough ahead, turn around and head back to the car. You'll still be surrounded by beauty. 4) Ample pullover areas for those in vehicles and not wanting to hike the trails. 5) VERY nice picnic areas too! read more

See all

I loved my trip to Ledges State Park!!!!!!!! The roads are clearly marked on the map you get from the website, which means you can easily find where you want to go! First, we hiked to go find Lost Lake. Now, I thought it was going to be a big mysterious adventure where you hiked to find lost lake and it really was lost and you walked away with a sense of wonder, I had fully bought my friend into my conspiracy, had told every trail person on the way, but what do you know.... Lost Lake is REAL and it is GROSS: I wish it had stayed lost. They lost it for a reason and the reason is smelly green algae. DO NOT go finding Lost Lake. Instead, go to Inspiration Point and become one with a butterfly and remark on how phenomenal Iowa is!! After that, head over to the other side of the park where you can go play in the river!!!!!!! The road was closed because it was flooded but that was fine with me because I like to walk and it meant we could play in the flooded road. A win win if you ask me. Lastly, we sat down and had a happy picnic and a clean table under a nice pavilion. All in all, a perfect day spent at the state park!! read more

See all

Such a beautiful state park with so much fun for the Kiddos! Don't miss it! Take a picnic and wear water shoes! You're going to love it! Plan on the kids getting wet!! read more

See all

Ledges is one of those places you HAVE to check out at least once if you live in Ames. I went here countless times as an ISU student, the fresh air helped bring some peace of mind. The hiking trails are great, I believe they've done some improvements on a few of the popular trails. I know one of their trails is handicap accessible which is great. I just wish there were more sites like this close to Ames, I've been here so many times I feel like I know this park like the back of my hand. read more

Ledges State Park - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

My Dad (Rod), Brother (Scott), and I took a field trip to Ledges State Park this year on a nice crisp fall day. It's such a gorgeous park and so unexpected considering the usual Iowa landscape in this area. Ledges is worth the trip, even when you think you don't have any time left to spare in your day. read more

I wish there had been better maps and descriptions of the hikes. Wear good shoes and travel light. You are basically hiking down into a ravine and back out. Very pretty with dramatic rock formations. We saw deer and had a lovely time. read more

Ledges State Park is one of the best places to visit and take a hike on a fall day. I love the park it's beautiful and not something you always find in Iowa, but I have to say one thing about it nowadays is cars are everywhere. It's just not the same with cars than it is without. It takes away the experience when I can't just walk along the pavement without having to move out of the way for a car. Other than that it really is a cool place and perfect for taking your dogs on a walk or just enjoying the views. read more

As an Iowa native, it's weird that I had never been to Ledges... but now that the cold months are seemingly over, I finally made it out! To find this level of nature and moderate trail hiking only 45 minutes of downtown Des Moines is pretty neat. We made the drive last Sunday, when it was about 75 degrees. The main road is closed about 1/4 the way in, so there are only a couple of parking lots right around the shelters. There were tons of people, dogs, and kids in and on the trails, but we still found plenty of places to sneak away and have a small picnic. Ledges only (technically) has a little over 6 miles of hiking trails, but they are pretty legit! To hike the entire thing, with about 20 minutes halfway through to eat some snacks, it took us about 2.5 hours to hike the entire 6 miles. Not bad for an active afternoon! I would highly recommend downloading a PDF of a trail map from Iowa Parklands, because it was very easy to follow. We only took one wrong turn, but enjoyed the extra calories we burned climbing up another 70 steps. :) This is probably the 4th time I've made this joke, but they should totally change the name of this park to "Stairs". Even if you're a beginner-level walker or hiker though, you can still experience some of the beautiful wooded stairs that run up, down, and throughout the sandstone ledges. It makes for a beautiful place to walk around for an afternoon and take some photos. The trails walk right up and over the streams and treetops, and it just makes for a really pretty adventure. We will definitely be back to Ledges throughout the warmer months, and I can't wait to see the trails as nature continues to bloom! read more

See all

Absolutely love this place! My to go to place for hiking. Stopped in after a car show in Boone on my way back to Urbandale. Finally glad they opened the lower part & could drive through. Took a lil hike but my camera batter died so didn't get as many photos as I would of liked. Planning on coming back with the daughter next weekend. read more

See all

Wether you are a beginner or avid hiker, Ledges has something for everyone.. It's beauty is abundant, tranquil, and relaxing. Not much light pollution out here, so fun at night and during the day! Stay on the trails if you are a beginner, and go off path if you want to stretch your wings a bit.. Bring the bug spray, sun block, some water, and plenty of cliff bars, we might stay awhile! read more

I love this park. Best part of living in the Boone area. I grew up Pennsylvania and this park always reminds me of that area.

I love outside. This park is beautiful. It can be busy which is my reason for four stars. I prefer to get away in nature. My favorite is experiencing the cliffs from a kayak in the river. Dont do this unless experienced. I do enjoy going off trail here and if doing that can explore much further than most. The park is larger than the trails show. Take water shoes so you can walk in the creek and catch frogs. Speaking of this, this park is great for kids and families with picnic facilities, places to play and water to splash in. This is also a nice trip on my motorcycle or bicycle. Just use caution and care. Situational awareness fixes a lot. Running here is a badass workout due to the hills. Do it. read more

Still love it since I was a kid and playing in the water. now I have graduated to driving through the cool water. : ) Camping is awesome....but, the raceway in Boone on Saturday night (once a month? four times a month? not sure) can be heard loud and clear....til after midnight...and the neighboring cows WILL wake up at 5am. Still, the Ledges are always awesome for this homegrown Iowa girl. read more

Ledges State Park - Ledges State Park - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

Lovely campground in Central Iowa. Plenty of shade trees on nice size lots, nice central playground , nice walking/hiking trails.

Beautiful park, with lots of different areas to explore. The campground is very nice, with large, wooded lots, and a playground for the kids. RV users will appreciate the pumping station. The "hike in" tent camping area is particularly lovely - but primitive. No water or facilities. Great picnicking area in the Oak Grove. Definitely worth the visit, any time of year. read more

Ledges State Park - 11/1/13. A beautiful November day in the Oak Woods! - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

My friend and I camped out here in October. Overall, it was a beautiful park and we had a lot of fun navigating the trails. We used one of the "hike-to" campsites, which I wholeheartedly recommend! It takes a bit to get to your site, so you may wanna bring some wheels to transport your heavier equipment like coolers, but it was so awesome to be camping in the middle of a scenic, autumnal forest. Despite being the middle of October, there were a fair amount of other campers there using the nearby sites. The next day though, my friend and I seemed to have the whole place to ourselves, which can be a bit creepy, because you are ALL ALONE if you use the hike-to sites. Reservation tips: If you do use one of these sites, make sure you pick up a slip at the check-in kiosk before you enter the campgrounds. You fill out the information, slip the money into the slot, and then keep a part of the slip to put into the register board that sits near the entrance to the hike-to sites. You cannot reserve these sites in advance, so you may be fighting girl and boy scouts for a spot here. There are no nearby toilets unless you go into the RV and typical campground park. If you ever need to go into town for anything, Boone is about a ten minute drive. They have maps in the kiosks of all the trails and points of interest! read more

This is one of Iowa's supreme parks. It's like you've left the state, but you never left the farm. Trails everywhere and you can't ever get lost. They all wind back around on themselves. Water ways down in the canyon to splash around or hunt for rocks. Places to picnic and grills are all over the place. Open areas to throw a football, baseball, or Frisbee around. If you want to make a weekend of it there is a huge camp ground for both the tent and RV camper. I don't think you'll ever have a boring time here!! read more

Ledges State Park - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

This is a beautiful park and is living proof that Iowa is not flat! Lovely terrain of wooded hills bisected by a canyon with a small creek you can actually drive your car through. How cool is that? The hiking here is great if you are into something a bit challenging, as there are some steep grades which provide nice view above the canyon. Another trail away from the canyon led me to a small NATURAL lake. Who knew central Iowa had those too? Also some great wetlands down by the river. It's not overly crowded and reasonably clean, which is great as I have been to other parks where those are issues and it detracts from the "enjoyment of nature" thing. Not the case here, which is astounding to me since this is only about 45 minutes from Des Moines. Great place for a bonfire or a picnic, the camping also appears to be a good option too although I have yet to partake. read more

Really, this is Iowa?! Who knew? The landscape here is the antithesis of the rolling plains found for hundreds of miles in any direction from here. Trees? A canyon? Hiking of substance? Wow. Absolutely gorgeous. Pretty sizeable camping facility, both for electric and non-electric sites. The canyon frequently floods during the summer, and is occasionally closed to vehicles for that reason. You can still hike down if interested, but it is usually pretty messy down there when closed. If open, have fun driving through the streams that flow across the roads. Kids play in the streams, and are thrilled to be splashed by the passing cars. Great for camping, hiking, picnics, you name it. Deducting a star for frequent flooding (not that the park can do anything about that). read more

If you're from Colorado, eastern Tennessee or Washington state clear your preconceptions of what great parks are. You're not going to find miles of trails that go deep in to the backcountry to put a lot of distance between you and civilization at Ledges. What you are going to find is one of Iowa's best state parks. It's well maintained and breathtakingly beautiful. You can almost pretend you are in Pennsylvania or along the Appalachian Trail. Ledges State Park consists of a long winding road through a valley carved by a small stream. It also has a lot of challenging, but short loop hikes that will take you straight up the bluffs to amazing views. I trained here for several of my backpacks out west. I got a lot of raised eyebrows and a lot of questions when I was ascending these trails with 40 lbs of gear on my back. The park caters primarily to casual outdoorsmen, picnickers, car-camping and people just putting away a few brews. There is however a well hidden "primitive campsite" in the northwest corner of the park that I absolutely love. It's probably the best place in the park to get back to basics and get away from other people. read more

For hiking in Iowa, this is the place to be. Trails for miles, trees, quiet. Even a little bit of elevation. Who knew? We camped here after seeing a show in Ames, and it was the perfect way to end the night. read more

Fantastic Park! There is plenty of parking, and many different trails you can hike on. Overall the park has very beautiful scenery and is an awesome place to hike. read more

See all

A jewel of central Iowa, the Ledges State park will make you for get you are in the middle of Iowa as soon as you descend to the bottom. If the bottom of the park is not accessible via the road and your auto, you will have to walk down. Beautiful place to go!! read more

Ledges State Park - Dog in Des Moines River - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

This is a beautiful park that deserves more attention, it is difficult to find the entrance to the actual "Park" part FYI you need to go east of Boone to get to it. Once you get to the park you can see large portions of sandstone protruding from the walls of the small Canyon. There are plenty of hiking opportunities and even some neat babbling water crossings. It is a gorgeous area for taking photograph, in fact I would recommend family photos there. 10/10 it is a must see. read more

Ledges State Park - Parks Near Me - Madrid, Iowa

This has become one of my favorite places to relax in Iowa. It is well kept, full of nature and easy to quietly read a book on a blanket. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy. read more

This is a beautiful park with tent/trailer/RV camping facilities. The walk up and down the road/trail is fairly easy. Lots of families with small children are here every sunny weekend making the hike. There are lots of places where the stream crosses the road and kids can play in the water. read more

My family loves the ledges! So much to do! Walk the trails, play sports, walk the dogs, play in the water ways, drive through and splash the kids. We have had family pictures and engagements pictures taken there the scenery is just beautiful. I wish more people would she how beautiful it is and pick up their trash. I pulled in a few months ago and almost stepped in a dirty diaper. Have some respect! read more

I was not impressed with this park. I think it had potential to be a fun park but the trails were not labeled properly, and my friends and I could not find the place we were looking for because there were no signs around. The layout was odd and not convenient. The road was one way so it made it hard to get back to places in the park. Not what I expected at all. read more

I'm comparing this to last weekends trip to Mark Twain Lake in Missouri so maybe that's why I'm only giving it a 2 star rating. Was crowded, had loud people and motorcycles. Mostly one way driving that wasn't marked much. The one way wouldn't have been a big deal, but the bathroom cleaning lady started jumping up and down yelling at my car and another that we were going the wrong way.( at the intersection to turn off the loop anyway). Cleaning crew locked up the bathrooms early in the morning and yelled rudely to stay out. Thought they should pick a better time to clean if they were gonna be rude about it. Only one shower stall worked in the men's room and it could have hosed down an elephant for the amount of pressure coming out of that thing! I've cooked on better fire pits, although I thought they were unique. A lot of the lower roads were blocked off due to flooding and the up keep was down, but I can't complain because this isn't really anybody's fault. Over all we had a great time. The hiking trails were amazing! read more