Oh, Go Take a Hike! Western Iowa Trails Are a Breath of Fresh Air

Sauk Rail Trail 

Carroll and Sac Counties are home to the Sauk Rail Trail, a 33-mile concrete or asphalt multi-use pathway that was the first in the state to connect two state parks: Black Hawk Lake State Park and Swan Lake State Park.

This trail begins its life in Lake View, very near Black Hawk State Park, and continues on through Sac and Carroll Counties, passing through Carnarvon, Breda, and Maple River along the way. It ends in Swan Lake State Park just south of Carroll.

Fun Fact: There’s a significant portion of the trail that follows an abandoned rail line that ran from Maple River Junction to Carnarvon. Be sure to check out the old Breda railroad depot and an abandoned railroad trestle near Swan Lake State Park.

Using the Sauk Rail Trail costs $2.00/person per day or $15.00/person per year. Money well spent, though, since that income is used to help with upkeep of the trail and make improvements.  

T-Bone Trail

The T-Bone kicks off in Audubon before winding its way through Hamlin, Exira, and Brayton, ending in rural Cass County. Its 21 paved miles are part of the larger ADT and are located on the former right-of-way of the Rock Island Railroad, which came to an end in the 1990s.

Thanks to the Iowa National Heritage Foundation, the trail was then purchased and named for the famous T-Bone event, aka Operation T-Bone.

The name is a nod to the farmers in Audubon County who would ship around 2,000 head of prime beef cattle onto trains en route to the Chicago Stockyards every year in the 1950s and 60s.  

Hot Tip: There are no user fees for the T-Bone trail.

Raccoon River Valley Trail

Also part of the 6,800-mile-long ADT is the Raccoon River Valley Trail and its glorious, 89-mile stretch of paved pathway that skirts along the branches of the Raccoon River, over lighted bridges, past B&Bs, camping spots, delicious eateries, and art installations. It attracts over 350,000 users every year!

Along the way, you’ll pass through 14 communities sprinkled throughout Greene, Guthrie, and Dallas Counties, including Jefferson, Cooper, Herndon, Yale, Panora, Linden, Redfield, Adel, and Waukee.

As you saunter along, stay on the lookout for some of the 428 species of birds that nest in the area.

Fun Fact: This is another rails-to-trails project that’s located on the site of the former right-of-way of a railroad that had been built in the 1870s to link Des Moines to the Iowa Great Lakes Region.

There is no user fee, but donations are always welcome!