Description: Ryerson’s Woods State Preserve is a lovely little woods preserve nestled along the south side of Iowa City on Old Hwy 218 in Johnson County, IA.
Trails: Dirt (not paved), wooden “steps.” Railroad ties have been placed to help mark the trails and also to reduce washouts. There is a small wooden lookout where you can look out over the ravine below. There are also a few benches along the trails for you to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Terrain: Trees/Woods, basically begin at the bottom of the hill and work your way to the top and back down. . We didn’t see a lot of wildlife besides birds on this trip. Even on a drab and dreary winter day, however, we found plenty of things to admire and enjoy.
Restrooms & Facilities: There is a small, well kept parking lot and a sign identifying the park just off of Hwy 218. There is a picnic shelter/tables at the trailhead. There are no restrooms.
Overall: Ryerson’s Woods State Preserve is a great park for a short walk/hike in the woods. The trails are mild. Although technically you are climbing up a hill and down again, there are plenty of built in “steps” to help you navigate your way up. There wasn’t anything super unique about this park, but the trails were well kept and it was a great place for a short outing. Our visit was in the month of December after leaves had fallen and winter had set in, so we definitely look forward to visiting again and seeing the difference that spring/summer brings!
While a trail map was not available on the city of Iowa City’s website, we were able to locate one here.
For more photos, be sure to check out our park galleries! .