Discover Clive: Greenbelt, Water and Festival

Clive combines nature trails with seasonal swimming and a multi-day community festival. Along the Clive Greenbelt Trail, Walnut Creek, densely wooded areas and restored prairie shape the landscape. Depending on whether you prefer to spend time outdoors, plan for swimming or experience a festival, your trip can take on a different focus.

Trails and Landscape

The Clive Greenbelt Trail follows Walnut Creek through scenic, densely wooded areas. West of the Maddox Parkway Trailhead, about 10 acres of restored prairie lie along the trail. The wooded areas by the water and the restored prairie offer nature enthusiasts different landscape experiences.

The trail is used year-round by runners, walkers and cyclists. The Clive Greenbelt trails are open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; check for possible temporary closures before your trip. This lets you factor your preferred activity and time of day into your plans.

The Raccoon River Valley Trail provides another point of reference: the trail in Clive is 2.6 miles long. The comparison depends on what you are looking for: the Clive Greenbelt Trail’s landscape highlights are Walnut Creek, woodland and prairie, while the Raccoon River Valley Trail’s stated length provides a specific route distance.

Swimming at the Clive Aquatic Center

The Clive Aquatic Center offers public swimming, swimming lessons and water aerobics. Facilities include a leisure pool for young children and families, a standard swimming pool with slides and diving boards, and a lazy river. There, you can float on a tube around a short circuit. Operations are seasonal; pool features may also change as the facility is further developed. Check current hours and offerings before your visit.

Festival and Culture

A 2025 sponsorship guide describes the Clive Festival as an annual, multi-day community festival at Clive’s Greenbelt Landing. It lists July 18 and 19 as the festival dates; the stated program includes the “Thunder Over Clive” fireworks. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check the current dates.

In 2019, the Clive Greenbelt was designated an “Iowa Great Place” by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. The city also aims to develop and promote a public art program. It is intended to foster civic pride, artistically shape important places, and encourage aesthetic education and appreciation among residents and visitors.

Choose a Vacation Rental Based on Your Travel Plans

You can use your planned activities as a starting point when choosing a vacation rental in Clive. If you mainly want to hike, walk or cycle, factor the Greenbelt trails and their opening hours into your plans. For swimming, the season and current offerings matter; for a festival visit, check the relevant dates.

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