• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Explore Des Moines
    • Winter in Des Moines
    • Our 10+ Favorite Des Moines Parks
    • Nature Areas and Parks in Des Moines
    • Des Moines Bike Trails Guide
    • Principal Riverwalk
    • Best Hiking Trails in Des Moines
  • Camping & Cabins
    • Best Fall Camping Near Des Moines
    • Camping Checklist [+ PDF]
    • Camping With Kids
    • Ultimate List of RV Essentials
    • Easy Camping Food Ideas
    • Iowa State Parks With Cabins
    • Des Moines Campground Guide
    • A Guide to Des Moines RV Parks
    • Cabin Rentals Near Des Moines
  • About
  • Contact Us
Des Moines Outdoors

Des Moines Outdoors

Levee Trail: An Easy Connector From West Des Moines to Des Moines

DSMOutdoors

Levee Trail near S. 1st St./SW 63rd St

Levee Trail may not be super long, but it’s one of the most used trails in the Des Moines area. The trail serves as an important connector to get from West Des Moines to downtown Des Moines and beyond!

The Levee Trail

Levee Trail extends northeast for about 3 miles, from Raccoon River Park to Walnut Creek Trail in Des Moines. From its intersection at Walnut Creek Trail, head east or west on miles of paved trails in the Central Iowa Trail network! 

From Walnut Creek Trail, connect to Clive Greenbelt Trail on the west. You can use it to get to the 89-mile Raccoon River Valley Trail in Clive! 

To the east, explore downtown Des Moines, Gray’s Lake, and Easter Lake. Or head north from downtown to Saylorville Lake via the 25-mile Neal Smith Trail.

Know Before You Go!

  • The trail crosses a busy intersection at S. 1st St./SW 63rd St, but there is a crosswalk with lights.
  • Denman’s Woods is off the trail. It’s a singletrack mountain bike/hiking trail near the connection to Walnut Creek Trail (off of North Valley Drive bridge).
  • Raccoon River Park is a large outdoor recreation area with a ton to do! Rent kayaks or bikes, swim at the beach, hike the trail, and much more!

Trail Map

We also recommend the Central Iowa Trails Interactive Map and Street Collective’s Regional Trail Map to help plan your route. 

Trailheads

Raccoon River Park. Access the trail on the northeast side of the park, near the softball complex. There is plenty of parking at the softball fields. 

Aliber Soccer Complex. Near Grand and 63rd Street, get on the Walnut Creek Trail and head south a (very) short distance to access the trail (on the right, at N. Valley Dr).

Ashworth Park. Levee trail is almost a mile from here, but it’s one way to access it from Des Moines. From the parking lot at the end of 45th Street in Ashworth Park, get on the Bill Riley Trail. Turn right (west) at Walnut Creek Trail for about .8 miles to connect to the Levee Trail at North Valley Drive.

Walnut Creek Trail at Aliber
Walnut Creek Trail at Aliber Soccer Complex

Connecting Trails

Jordan Creek Trail meets up with Levee Trail at Raccoon River Park.* It extends north and west through West Des Moines along Jordan Creek. From the trail, access several restaurants and businesses throughout West Des Moines.  

*There is some discrepancy over where Jordan Creek Trail ends, and Levee Trail begins. For our purposes, Levee Trail starts at Raccoon River Park.

The trail links to Walnut Creek Trail at the North Valley Drive bridge in Des Moines. It’s is a beautiful creekside trail extending 3.2 miles from Des Moines to Windsor Heights. From Walnut Creek, access the Clive Greenbelt Trail to the northwest and the Bill Riley Trail to the east (to get to downtown).

Levee Trail Facts

  • Location: West Des Moines to Des Moines
  • Distance: ~3 miles
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Description: The trail extends from Raccoon River Park northeast to Walnut Creek Trail in Des Moines.
  • Trailheads: Raccoon River Park, Ashworth Park
  • Connectors: Jordan Creek Trail, Walnut Creek Trail

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
PinterestSave

Filed Under: Trails

Primary Sidebar

About Des Moines Outdoors

Des Moines Outdoors is a site dedicated to helping you find the best of everything outdoors in the state of Iowa. We’re native Iowans that, for over 25 years, camped, hiked, biked, and explored our home state. We encourage you to do the same.

There’s so much more to see and do in Iowa than many people imagine! Our goal is to help visitors and residents alike experience the best of our beautiful state.

Search

More Outdoor Fun in Iowa

Sign up for our seasonal newsletter on the best things to do and places to see!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    No spam, just four newsletters each year.

    Built with ConvertKit
    Winter scavenger hunt printables
    outdoor gift guides
    Rv Essentials

    Recent Articles

    • Car Camping Essentials: How to get ready to car camp & gear you need
    • Winter Sowing Seeds: List of best seeds to winter sow and how to do it
    • Top Lakes in Iowa: 12 Best Lakes for Recreation and Relaxation
    • Tennis & Pickleball Courts in Des Moines: Find an Outdoor Public Court Near You
    • Winter Hiking Gear: Best winter hiking boots, pants & other gear you need

    Categories

    Footer

    Categories

    Archives

    DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE

    We make no express or implied claims or warranties regarding this website or results from using the information, content, materials, products, or services on DesMoinesOutdoors.com.

    Everything you read on this site is for entertainment purposes only. We do our best to keep up with the latest info on parks, trails, and other outdoor activities. But things change, and we don’t always know. 

    Outdoor activities can be dangerous and unpredictable. Use of the information on DesMoinesOutdoors.com is at the users’ risk. Users recognize this risk and agree to hold us harmless for any liability from the use of information on DesMoinesOutdoors.com, including, but not limited to, bodily injury, death, property damage, sickness, or disease. We assume no liability for the use of this website, any information on the site, or any inconvenience or injury resulting from information on the activities or places on this site.

    This site may contain affiliate links. See the full disclosure here.

    Copyright © 2023 · Des Moines Outdoors