Paddling near Iowa City, IA

Set in Johnson County in eastern Iowa, Iowa City sits right on the Iowa River, where the state-designated water trail launches from Sturgis Ferry Park and runs 72 unobstructed miles south to the Mississippi. Paddlers also reach Lake Macbride State Park, Iowa's largest at 2,180 acres, and the 5,000-plus-acre Coralville Reservoir just to the north — flatwater and gentle river runs within a short drive of downtown.