From Rails to Trails: Fun Things To Do In Boone
Boone is an outdoor lover’s hidden gem in Iowa. No matter the season, you’ll find something fun that will keep you active and entertained. Here are my favorite things to do in Boone in the summer, winter and every day in between.
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Where is Boone?
Boone is a small town in Iowa, about 20 miles west of Ames and 50 miles north of Des Moines. For the geographically-challenged, that makes it located in north central Iowa. The population of Boone is just over 26,000 people, and it’s the county seat for Boone County. It’s located near the Des Moines River, as well as immense amounts of farmland.
Top things to do in Boone
What Iowa lacks in mountain ranges, the state’s ski resorts make up for with well-maintained trails. Seven Oaks Recreation,1086 222nd Drive, offers 11 runs, including a beginner hill and a pretty sweet railyard for snowboarders. There are two triple chair lifts and three surface lifts.
Seven Oaks offers complimentary beginner lessons as well as private lessons for more in-depth instructions. For the complimentary lesson, everyone learned the basics like stopping and the correct way to get up after you fall.
For less of a winter workout and just as much fun, Seven Oaks Recreation also has a tubing hill. Due to its popularity, tubers have timed passes. There’s a lift to get tubers up to the top of the hill, which is a great convenience.
There is more to do in Boone beyond winter activities. Whether you love rail history or you have a kid obsessed with trains, Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad is a Boone favorite for visitors. It was created in 1983 to preserve the scenic section of the former Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad hat winded through the Des Moines River Valley.
My family fell into the “obsessed kid” category. A steam locomotive pulls the excursion trains, and a diesel locomotive powers the dinner & dessert train.
The 1920s rail car we rode in for the excursion train ride was not air-conditioned, though there are enclosed dinner train car options that have both AC and heating. On a regular ride, formal meals aren’t served, but there is a concession car with snacks and beverages.
The ride is out and back, about an hour and a half ride. Each car has a volunteer who’ll share interesting facts about the train and the area you pass through. Ours shared the story about Kate Shelley on the way back to the station.
The highlight has to be crossing the 156-foot-tall Bass Point Creek High Bridge, which you’ll do twice since it’s an out-and-back ride. If you’re afraid of heights, this will be the ultimate low.
Tip: Check the calendar for themed train rides, especially around the holidays.
The rail tracks aren’t just used for the train. Rail Explorers is a pretty unique experience in the Midwest, where you pedal a cart on the tracks in an out-and-back ride. You’ll pedal yourself over the same bridges that the train crosses. It’s exhilarating.
The whole experience lasts about two hours, with a break midway through to turn the pedal carts around (and to let the train pass through).
When the weather warms up, the Des Moines River becomes the recreation haven for paddlers. You can find outfitters, including Seven Oaks Recreation, who’ll rent canoes, kayaks and tubes. River activities peak between June and Labor Day Weekend.
Pufferbilly Days, an annual event celebrating Boone’s railroad heritage, is held over three days in late summer or early fall. This year, it takes place Sept. 19-21, 2025. Events include a carnival, parade, car show, and several contests. It’s considered one of Iowa’s Top 5 community festivals with over 30,000 attendees.
Boone Speedway is for the adrenaline junkies passing through Boone. The 1/3-mile dirt racetrack is open from mid-April to early September, and including the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals in mid-August.
More things to do near Boone
There are a few more activity highlights I wanted to mention that aren’t in Boone, but are close enough. Ledges State Park is a special little park hidden among cornfields near Madrid. Its name is inspired by the sandstone ledges that tower 100 feet above the Des Moines River.
It’s a great park for hikes, and offers a 4-mile trail system that winds through steep slopes and scenic overviews. One of the most memorable parts of the park is Peas Creek along the Canyon Road. The creek is typically ankle deep and people typically wade through it…and cars pass through it. Camping is available at Ledges State Park.
Hotel Pattee is a charming historic hotel in the town Perry. It’s close enough to Boone that it’s the place we stay in when visiting. The hotel has more than 40 individually decorated rooms. If you’re traveling with kids, be sure to request one of the themed family suites.
When the hotel opened in 1913, it offered the latest craze in recreation: A two-lane bowling alley in the lower level. The Oley Olson Bowling Alley has been updated since then, and you can now bowl there with fully-functioning lanes and automated scoring.
