Iowa trails · Main
Main
A 10.3-mile network in Iowa, with 72 ft of climbing. Reaches Lake Darling. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the middle third — 63% of the ascent, between mile 3.4 and mile 6.9. It gives back about 265 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Lake Darling (lake)
Getting there
Main access — restroom. About 30 min drive (17 mi) from Fairfield. 41.18556, -91.88052 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:50 a.m., the sun rises at 7:17 a.m. and sets at 6:28 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:56 p.m. (CDT) — 11 h 11 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 10.3-mile route takes roughly 3 h 51 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 11:08 a.m. — 7 h 20 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Main + Rubio Loop — 3.7 mi loop, 161 ft gain
- Lake Shore Loop + Main — 2.2 mi loop, 107 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Fairfield Trail Loop — 12.5 mi
- Mount Pleasant Trail — 24.5 mi