Iowa by Trail on RAGBRAI

By Taylor on July 15, 2014 in Blog

Mark your calendars for July 19th, and join INHF at the statewide launch of Iowa by Trail at the RAGBRAI Expo!

After 30 years of helping to establish Iowa as the World Capital of Trails, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce “Iowa by Trail,” the all-Iowa multiuse trail app. INHF partnered with Shift Interactive, an Iowa-based company, to create the app for all iOS devices.

The app was first released on May 1, 2014 for Central Iowa trails. This was a beta test for the statewide app. From this test, we already have 3,500 downloads.

The statewide version of Iowa by Trail will feature all of Iowa’s 1,800 miles of multi-use trails, allowing users to geo-locate and navigate anywhere in the state. The app will initially feature points of interest for three major statewide trails—the Wabash Trace Nature Trail, Cedar Valley Nature Trail and the Heritage Trail—with new completed trails released every week. It will also feature a special RAGBRAI route, complete with points of interest for riders wanting to test-drive the app.

“When you're on the trail, you inherently understand the connection between communities, natural resources and the economy,” explains Hannah Inman, INHF communications director. “This app takes that one step further. It allows for a business to communicate with a new visitor that's passing through or for a town to showcase its unique treasures. It allows someone to stop to take a look at a stream and understand its connection to our drinking water. This is something that no one else in the country has at a statewide level. It showcases what makes Iowa special.”

The statewide version will officially launch at the RAGBRAI Expo on July 19th in Rock Valley, where INHF will give app demos and showcase new app features. Be sure to find us!

After the Expo, the Iowa by Trail crew will be riding the whole RAGBRAI route, making media visits and holding events along the way. In each overnight town, INHF staffers will hold app demonstrations, provide limited edition Iowa by Trail memorabilia for purchase and be available for any trail-related discussions! You could have a chance to participate in a scavenger hunt and win Iowa by Trail prizes! Find us July 20th through the 26th to learn how to use the app and help us spread the word. Check our social media pages for our specific location each day.

Find our booth at these RAGBRAI stops: