Grampy™

Wifey and I drove over to the Raccoon River Trail that runs from Dennison to Des Moines. Great trail. We plan on going back to get a century ride in before winter. Anybody in Iowa, really aught to try and get over to this trail some time..... nice ride.

crazyb

What type of surface is it?

John K

Glad you enjoyed the ride. When all of the proposed trails become a reality it will be even better. We also heve some very nice dirt trails, if you're interested in mountain biking.
Go ride, John K.

Grampy™

Asphalt and concrete. My only complaint is the lack of some nice hills.... Wifey thought it was perfect.

gerv 

Grampy... I think it runs from Jefferson to Des Moines, 56 miles of rail trail. Surface is asphalt mostly, but some concrete near Jefferson. I especially like it between Adel and Panora, and the town of Jefferson is interesting too. Nice scenery with some interesting towns along the way.

There are 3 or 4 good trails in this area. One of my favorite is the Great Western Trail that runs from south Des Moines to Martensdale. 16 miles, but you can continue thru relatively light traffic to St. Mary's, New Virginia to Osceola on county roads. Actually, some of the county roads in Southern Iowa are as nice as the trails... no traffic and gently rolling hills. (Well... sometimes not that gently...) You would think it was perfect... Mrs. Grampy would probably not.

https://www.raccoonrivervalleytrail.org/

crazyb

Sounds good, my girlfriend likes flat also. Have you tried the trail out of th Q.C. up the Illinois side? A real nice Sunday ride.

edp773

Yes, I ride there often. I started in Port Byron last Friday night after checking out the starting area for the UMCA 24 race.

Grampy™

Not from the Q.C. going north..... We drove over to some town with a huge working windmill and tried to ride the trail south but it dumped us onto this very large gravel road..... Wifey does not do gravel. Frankly there was no way I'd have done it either on the 23's I was riding.... We were kind of bummed.
Where do we pick it up in the Q.C.?

Grampy™

D'oh! Your right! I don't know why I keep saying Dennison....... I know better.

Recycle

My wife and I rode from Colona to East Moline and up the Great River Trail and GIT a couple of weeks back. It was a delightful ride spread over a couple of weekends.

IIRC there were 3 unpaved sections between East Moline and Savanna ... a mile long gravel section one mi north of Albany Mounds, a mile long gravel section about 3 mi south of Fulton (the town with the windmill), and a 2 mile long crushed limestone section through the Thompson Sand Prairie Conservation Area. None of it seemed particularly rough, but then, I ride on 700 x 40 tires

The MUP ends in Savanna. Then it's open road riding from there into Hanover and Galena.

We picked up the Great River Trail in East Moline in a park called The Quarter, which is right next to a huge John Deer facility. The Quarter has Beacon Harbor rest area with auto parking, bike parking, toilets, water, and pop vending machines.

There seems to be some kind of park every 5 miles along the Great River Trail from East Moline to Savanna. And there are some good restaurants in the river towns along the trail too. I recommend Jimmie Lees Bar and Grill along the trail at the marina in Port Byron.


Hennepin Canal in Colona to East Moline, then Great River Trail to Albany Mounds
Albany Mounds to Thomson
Hanover to Mississippi Palisades State Park
Mississippi Palisades State Park to Thomson