Located 15 miles North of Iowa City on Mehaffey Bridge Road, Macbride Nature Recreation Area (MNRA) is one of the largest wooded areas in Johnson County. It is a 485-acre tract of land leased by the University of Iowa from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, under the direction of the Division of Recreational Services.

A variety of activities are offered here including environmental education programs for youth, Macbride Raptor Project - a raptor education and rehabilitation center, an archery range (maintained by the Johnson County Archers), picnic and camp sites, and hiking and cross-country skiing trails. It is also the home of the University of Iowa Sailing Club.

* Find out the condition of local cross-country ski trails online. Visit http://iowaski.blogspot.com/