Trail through the tallgrass prairie at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Length:  2.2-mile loop
Time:  1.25 hours
Difficulty:  Easy to moderate

While there are no named trails at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, there are multiple mowed paths that lead through the tallgrass prairie. Visitors can make up their own route, hiking as much or as little as time allows. I came up with a route that covers all but one short segment of the available trails, so for those looking for the most exercise possible, my proposed route is definitely the way to go. (Note that the trails are also open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.)

There are many trailheads within the park, but the two that are easiest to get to are near the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. One is across from the library parking lot and the other is a little farther down about midway on the southern side of the loop road that begins just past the library. The trail at this point is a paved sidewalk, for it is also how visitors get to Hoover’s gravesite. I began my hike across from the library and ended on the paved gravesite segment.

There is a deep gully between the library parking lot and the trailhead, so being old, I opted to walk back down the park road to access a sidewalk. If you are young, walking down and out of the gully won’t be that hard.

Sidewalk near the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library leads to the tallgrass prairie trails at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Start of the tallgrass prairie trails across the street from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library parking lot

On the map below, I marked my route with letters. Be sure to get the Tallgrass Prairie Trail Map (not the map on the park brochure) at the Visitor Center, because without one you won’t know where you are going. I had to make a correction to the map below (in red), but the map that you get at the Visitor Center is accurate.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Trail Map (click to enlarge)

The A-B segment of the hike is a quarter mile long and follows a mowed grass path—typical of nearly all the trails through the prairie. The terrain is hilly, but most of the hills are long and gradual ascents and descents, and even the steepest are only moderate in difficulty. I didn’t bring my hiking poles with me, and I usually need them on hilly terrain, but in this case I did not miss them at all. For the most part, the hike through the prairie is fairly easy.

Typical terrain of the tallgrass prairie trails at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

The trail leads up to an old barn and house (can’t see the house from the trail) that were part of the Isaac and Esther Miles farm. Both structures were here when Herbert Hoover lived in West Branch.

Old barn on the Miles Farm at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Just beyond the barn, the trail merges with a road the leads into the farm property. This is also the inner trail that heads west towards the western park boundary. My hike continues to the outer trail that runs along I-80, so when the trail forks just a stone’s throw farther ahead, take a left. The inner trail was nicely mowed, whereas the trail I continued on was a little overgrown.

Intersection of the inner east-west trail and the trail that leads to the southern boundary of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site along I-80

Trail that leads to the southern boundary of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site along I-80

Once on the way to the highway, at times there’s not really much of a trail to follow. Just stick to the tree line and head towards the traffic noise and you’ll get there.

The path through the tallgrass prairie to the southern border of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site at I-80 is often hard to follow

The trail between points B and C is a half mile long. It proceeds up and over a few rolling hills as it follows right along I-80. The traffic noise is loud, but the scenery is pretty. When I did the hike in early August there were plenty of wildflowers and birds in the grass. However, it was extremely hot in the sun, and I was drenched with sweat by the time I finished the hike.

Trail through the tallgrass prairie follows along I-80 at the southern border of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Bird in the tallgrass prairie at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

At point C the trail naturally curves north. The section to point D is .4 mile long and is similar to the trail along the highway—wide and with rolling hills. There are two intersections with trails heading east (G and F on the map). Just ignore these and continue straight ahead.

Trail through the tallgrass prairie along the western border of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

The trail dead ends into a gravel road near some houses. If you take a left, you will end up at a trailhead on Main Street. To continue the hike, take a right.

Intersection of trails at the northwest corner of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Trailhead at Main Street for entrance into the tallgrass prairie at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

The trail between D and E is a gravel road, though much of the gravel peters out after a while. In fact, the trail eventually leads into the forest. This is the only section of trail in the park that is shaded.

Trail on the northwestern side of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site leaves the tallgrass prairie and enters the forest

The intersection at E is .2 mile from D. To continue the hike towards point F, take a right. If you stay straight, you will end up on the park grounds near the north side of the loop road.

Access point to the tallgrass prairie at the northwestern end of the loop road near the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

The trail between E and F is not in the forest any more, but there is thick vegetation on either side. There is some shade, but when the sun is directly overhead it will beat down on you. To the right is the prairie, but other than at a few windows, the wall of vegetation separates it from the trail.

Trail skirts the tallgrass prairie on the western side of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

View of the prairie from the trail on the western side of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

After a tenth of a mile, the trail between E and F emerges from the vegetation and back onto the prairie, and from here on the hike is out in the open. There is an intersection with a trail to the right that, according to the map, just leads to the middle of the prairie and ends. I have no idea what the point of it is and had no desire to check it out, so I just kept straight towards point F.

The trail dead ends at the intersection with the western park boundary trail. Take a left (F), back onto previously hiked terrain, and then another left at the next fork (G) to start back on the inner east-to-west trail through the prairie. At this point you will have hiked 1.7 miles.

Intersection of the western border trail and the inner east-west trail through the prairie, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

It is .2 mile between G and H. This is a fairly level section of trail, probably the easiest of all trail segments.

Typical terrain of the inner east-west tallgrass prairie trail at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Take a left at H (the first left you come to) to head back towards the loop road. After .2 mile you will be at a seating area with wayside exhibits about the prairie—the Tallgrass Prairie Observation Deck.

Approaching the Tallgrass Prairie Observation Deck at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

View from the Tallgrass Prairie Observation Deck at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

The trail from the observation deck back to the parking lot is the paved sidewalk segment used to get to the graves of Herbert and Lou Hoover. The trail splits just past the observation deck, with a left leading to the gravesite. Check it out if you haven’t seen it, otherwise take a right to get back to the loop road parking area. Total distance of the hike is 2.2 miles.

Sidewalk between the loop road and the Tallgrass Prairie Observation Deck at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

Other than it being miserably hot and humid, I really enjoyed the trails at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. However, the thrill for me was seeing the prairie, which I’m sure is about as exciting to those who live in Iowa as hiking in a forest is to me, a guy from Georgia.

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