# List of historic auto trails in Iowa

Prior to the primary highway system which exists in the U.S. state of Iowa today, signed highway routes known as auto trails were registered with the Iowa State Highway Commission. Organizations, such as the Lincoln Highway Association, volunteered to sponsor and register certain roads with the highway commission. Each organization chose their colors and designed route markers to guide motorists along the way. Eventually, confusion reigned and the highway commission took action. Beginning in 1920, primary road numbers were assigned to registered routes. Some of these registered routes, most notably the Lincoln Highway, are still famous today, while most have been long forgotten.

## List of auto trails

* Atlantic–Yellowstone–Pacific Highway      National route. Analogous to Iowa Highway 9, U.S. Route 71, U.S. Route 18, U.S. Route 218, and U.S. Route 20
* Black Diamond Trail    Marshalltown to Cedar Falls  Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 14 and U.S. Route 20
* Black Hawk Trail    Davenport to Davenport
* Black Hills Highway      National Route. Analogous to U.S. Route 18
* Blue Grass Route    Council Bluffs to Burlington Counties: Adams 'Analogous to U.S. Route 34
* Blue J Highway    Lineville to Des Moines  Roughly analogous to U.S. Route 65 and Iowa Highway 14
* Burlington Way    Burlington to Cresco  Roughly analogous to U.S. Route 61, Iowa Highway 70, U.S. Route 218, Iowa Highway 150, and U.S. Route 63
* Capitol Highway    Lineville to Des Moines  Analogous to U.S. Route 69
* Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa, and McGregor Trail    Ottumwa to McGregor  Also known as the Park Highway. Analogous to Iowa Highway 149 and U.S. Route 151
* Cedar Rapids, Urbana–Independence Short Line    Cedar Rapids to Independence  Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 150
* Center Point Motor Club    Cedar Rapids to St. Paul, Minn.  Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 150 and U.S. Route 63
* Chariton and Leon Short Line    Leon to Chariton  Analogous to U.S. Route 69 and U.S. Route 34
* Custer Battlefield Highway    Omaha, Nebr. to Glacier National Park  Analogous to Interstate 29 and Iowa Highway 12
* Daniel Boone Trail    St. Louis, Mo. to St. Paul, Minn. Counties: Boone Analogous to U.S. Route 63, Iowa Highway 163, Iowa Highway 415, Iowa Highway 17, U.S. Route 30, and U.S. Route 169
* Denison – Sioux City Cut-Off    Denison to Sioux City
* Detroit, Lincoln, and Denver Highway    Denver, Colo. to Detroit, Mich.
* Diagonal Trail    Davenport to Lake Park
* Diamond Trail    Des Moines to Iowa City Counties: Benton
* Eldora – State Center and Colfax Highway    Colfax to Eldora
* Everett Powers Highway    Des Moines to Knoxville
* Farmers Highway    Exira to Greenfield
* Glacier Trail    St. Louis, Mo. to Glacier National Park
* Golden Rod Highway    Nebraska City, Nebr. to Bedford
* Grand Line    Lamoni to Hopeville
* Great White Way    Council Bluffs to Davenport Counties: Adair Current routes: U.S. Route 6
* Green Crescent    Muscatine to Cedar Rapids
* Hamlin Short Route    Elk Horn to Guthrie Center
* Harding Highway    Los Angeles, Calif. to Washington, D.C.
* Hawkeye Cut-Off    Sioux City to Fort Dodge
* Hawkeye Highway    Sioux City to Dubuque Counties: Black Hawk Current routes: U.S. Route 20, U.S. Route 218
* Herbert Hoover Highway    Iowa City to Lowden
* Imperial Highway    Sioux Falls, S. Dak. to Lansing
* Indian Trail    Tama to Eldora
* I.O.A. Short Line    Council Bluffs to Davenport
* Jefferson Highway    New Orleans, La. to Winnipeg, Man.
* John D. Parmalee Trail    Des Moines to Pleasantville
* King's Highway    Cedar Rapids to Davenport
* Lincoln Hawkeye Pike    Clinton to West Union
* Lincoln Highway    San Francisco, Calif. to New York, N.Y.
* Lineville–Indianola Short Line    Lineville to Indianola
* Marshalltown–Colfax Short Line    Colfax to Marshalltown
* Marysville–Carroll Trail (M.C. Trail)    Maryville, Mo. to Carroll
* Mississippi Valley Highway    Louisiana to Minnesota  Followed the same route as the Burlington Way.
* Muscatine – Des Moines Short Line    Des Moines to Muscatine
* National Parks Pike    Yellowstone National Park to Madison, Wis.
* Okoboji Trail    Des Moines to Arnolds Park
* Old Military Trail    Charles City to McGregor
* Perry Pike    Guthrie Center to Ogden
* Pershing Way    New Orleans, La. to Winnipeg, Man.
* Rainbow Trail    Hawarden to Dubuque
* Red Ball Route    St. Louis, Mo. to St. Paul, Minn.
* Red Line Route    Missouri state line to Villisca
* Red X Route — 87 miles (140 km)  Iowa City to Dubuque  Current routes: Iowa Highway 1 and U.S. Route 151 Passed through Iowa City, Mount Vernon, Anamosa, Monticello, and Dubuque
* River to River Route    Council Bluffs to Davenport Counties: Audubon
* Southwest Trails    Kansas City, Mo. to Chicago, Ill. Counties: Appanoose Current routes: Iowa Highway 5
* Star Route    Osceola to Des Moines
* Tall Corn Route    Sioux City to McGregor
* Tourists Route    Mount Ayr to Des Moines
* Washington Highway    Seattle, Wash. to Washington, D.C.
* Waubonsie Trail    Nebraska City, Nebr. to Keokuk
* Webster Trail    Keokuk to Mt. Pleasant
* Whiteway–7–Highway    Omaha, Nebr. to Chicago, Ill.
* Wilson Highway    Missouri state line to Emmons, Minn.
* Woodward–Ogden Cut-Off    Des Moines to Ogden