The Grimes Brief
On the city's own trails. The City of Grimes maintains a network of paved multi-use trails that tie together the parks and residential areas, good for a family walk, a jog, or an evening bike ride close to home. The city says trails are open to the public from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. As the city grows, the trail system keeps expanding with it. The three named routes, with lengths from TrailLink:
A concrete path that runs from the North Sports Complex on NW 27th St to NW 8th St and NW Brookside Dr, following a tree-lined drainage ditch across much of the north side. It meets the James Street sidepath and the Lions Park Trail and passes through Beaverbrooke Park (797 N James St). Park at the North Sports Complex, off NW 27th St just west of N James St, where there are restrooms.
A concrete path along a small creek, from E 1st St and Gateway Dr up to N Main St and 13th St, where it joins the Beaverbrooke trail. It links neighborhoods to shops on the south end and to Lions Park, which has a playground, shelter, and pickleball courts. Parking is at Lions Park, NE 5th St and NE Little Beaver.
The way out of town by bike. This flat concrete trail starts at 6th Street, across from the Grimes South Sports Complex, and runs south to Meredith Drive in Urbandale, where it meets the Meredith Drive Trail and Urbandale's trail network. Park at the South Sports Complex (750 James St).
City park pages also list trails or walking paths at the South Sports Complex, Kennybrook South Park, Glenstone Park, Autumn Park, and Heritage Park, where a loop circles the clock tower. Heritage Pond, Gabus Pond, and the Grimes Plex Pond all have trail access, so you can bring a rod; see our fishing guide.
That is the plan, not the reality yet. Johnston has been extending its NW 100th St trail north, and DSM Bike Notes reported in December 2024 that Johnston hoped to carry it west along NW 78th Ave and connect with Grimes in 2026. We have not seen that link open, so treat it as planned.
To be accurate about it: the Raccoon River Valley Trail does not run through Grimes itself. It is a roughly 89-mile paved system, including a 72-mile loop the trail association bills as America's longest paved loop trail, through Waukee, Adel, Dallas Center, Perry, Jefferson, and other Dallas, Guthrie, and Greene county towns. The nearest trailhead to Grimes is in Waukee, near Sugar Creek Elementary at the corner of Hickman Road and North 10th Street, a short drive southwest, with parking and restrooms. From there you can ride for hours.
For the rest of the outdoor options, our parks guide covers every city park, and Beaver Creek Golf Course is the public golf option in town.
No. The Raccoon River Valley Trail does not run through Grimes. Its nearest trailhead is in Waukee, at Hickman Road and North 10th Street, a short drive southwest. Grimes has its own network of paved city trails.
Yes. The City of Grimes maintains a network of paved multi-use trails linking its parks and neighborhoods, good for walking, running, and biking.
The City of Grimes says its trails are open to the public from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Yes. The paved James Street Trail runs about 2.7 miles from 6th Street, across from the Grimes South Sports Complex, south to Meredith Drive in Urbandale, where it meets the Meredith Drive Trail.
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