Close to nature and close to town.
Experience beautiful woods and water ways that lead right to local eateries and breweries. You’ll find plenty of bike enthusiasts on the trails or stopping by SingleSpeed Brewery after a ride—they’d love to swap bike stories and local love for the trial system.
With over 110 miles of hard-surfaced, multi-use trails, an abundance of soft trails, and emerging water trails, it’s no wonder why the Cedar Valley Trails was named Iowa’s Outstanding Tourism Attraction in 2018! Trails are free and open 24/7/365 for non-motorized and non-equestrian activities such as biking, hiking, cross-country skiing and skating.
The Cedar Valley Trail System is unique in that it covers both hard (paved) and soft (unpaved) trails—perfect for a workout on your mountain bike or your favorite hiking shoes. Much of the soft trail system is marked with rudimentary signs, and serve as the gateway to hidden, picturesque routes throughout Black Hawk County. Head out on your own (or with a group of friends!) and experience the natural beauty of outdoor Iowa.
On our water trails, you can engage in a wide variety of activities, like:
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Fishing
- Birdwatching
- Wildlife observation
George Wyth State Park has 3.5 miles of paved multi-purpose trails, which are great for biking, in-line skating and walking. George Wyth also has 10 miles of grass hiking trails. In winter, sports such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice fishing are also popular.
George Wyth State Park is located on the Cedar River within the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area. Its large expanse of woodland is abundant with many varieties of wildlife. Birdwatchers have observed more than 200 different species and white-tailed deer can be seen year-round. The park has been designated as a National Urban Wildlife Sanctuary. At George Wyth, the visitor can truly “get away” from the busy metropolitan area and take advantage of a variety of outdoor recreation activities in a very natural setting.
The park is unique in that it has several water areas: Brinker Lake (120 acres, open for power boating), George Wyth Lake (75 acres, no wake lake with handicap accessible fishing pier and fishing jetty’s), Fisher Lake (40 acres natural lake), Alice Wyth Lake (60 acres, electric motors only) and the Cedar River. Sailboating and windsurfing are also popular. George Wyth beach is one of the most popular swimming spots in the area. The lakes and river provide anglers a variety of fish in a scenic natural setting. Boat ramps are available on the river and lakes.
If you’re new to the area or visiting, don’t worry. You’ll find trail signage and information all along the trials.
Need a bike or a kayak? Rentals available at Waterloo Bicycle Works and Maxx Rentals.
