Brown's Woods Interior Loop Hiking Guide
Brown's Woods is 486 acres of oak and hickory just west of 63rd Street in West Des Moines, running from Brown's Woods Drive down to the Raccoon River. Polk County Conservation calls it Iowa's largest urban forest. The Interior Loop strings together the park's three gentlest loops, Gateway, Preparation and Wilderness, into a 2.9-mile lollipop that stays in the shade almost the whole way.
The Route
Hiking Project maps this lollipop at 2.9 miles with 345 feet of climbing and 365 feet of descent, between about 889 and 997 feet of elevation. Start on Gateway Trail from the lot at 465 SE Brown's Woods Drive, continue onto Preparation Loop, circle the Wilderness Loop (1.4 miles on its own), and return the way you came. The county's total for the whole park is 4.4 miles of trail; the longer North Loop, about 2.1 miles by Hiking Project's count, heads toward the river.
Footing and Wayfinding
The contributor who mapped the route hiked it with a five-year-old and a toddler and calls it fine for kids, with caveats: it is not stroller terrain, there are a few short, moderately steep hills with exposed roots, and you may need to step across a bit of creek or mud. The bigger issue is signage. Junctions are not well marked, and it is easy to drift onto the North Loop by mistake, so carry a map. Polk County posts a virtual map on the park page.
Hours, Parking and Crowds
Polk County runs two schedules. From April 1 through October 31 the park is open 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; from November 1 through March 31 it is open sunrise to sunset unless posted otherwise. The county map marks a seasonal overflow lot. Hiking Project's contributor says the trails can be quite busy on weekends, so a weekday or early start gets you the quiet version. There is no entry fee.
Dogs and Park Rules
Polk County requires a six-foot maximum leash and asks owners to pick up after their dogs. Because the trails erode easily, horses and bicycles are not allowed. You may gather nuts, fruit and edible mushrooms for your own use as long as the plant isn't harmed, but cutting wood and removing plants are illegal. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are allowed in winter.
Late-Fall Bowhunt
Hunting is normally banned at Brown's Woods, but Polk County issues special-use permits for a controlled antlerless deer bowhunt here, running September 19, 2026 through January 24, 2027, to thin an urban deer herd the county says is damaging native plants. The county's hunting page lists no trail closures for it. Stay on the trail and consider wearing a bright color through the season.
Hiking tips for Brown's Woods Interior Loop
- Download or screenshot the county trail map; junction signs are sparse.
- Plan around the winter hours: from November 1 the gates follow sunrise and sunset.
- Leave the bike and the stroller at home; neither suits these trails.
- Come on a weekday morning if you want the woods to yourself.
- Wear something bright during the September-to-January bowhunt.
Nearby trails to explore
- Bottomland Trail (Walnut Woods State Park)
- North Sycamore Trail (Des Moines River)
- Crow's Nest Loop (Ledges State Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Brown's Woods is close enough for an after-work walk with a few friends. Post a weekday hike on TrailMates, use the event's group chat to agree on Gateway or the longer North Loop, and meet at the Brown's Woods Drive lot. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.