Great Western and Bill Riley Trails
Trail facts:
Length: Great Western Trail, 16.5 miles; Bill Riley Trail, 1.6 miles
Hours: open year-round, sunrise to sunset
Surface: Great Western, asphalt on converted railbed; Bill Riley, asphalt
Fees: none
Counties: Polk and Warren
Cities: Des Moines, Cumming, Churchville and Martensdale
Connecting trails: none
Uses: hiking, nature viewing, biking, cross-country skiing, skating
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Courtesy of: INHF
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| Trail description:
The Great Western Trail has a mix of urban and rural scenery. Its northern end is more urban while the rest offers meadows, long tree-lined stretches, reconstructed prairie and all kinds of wildlife. There are also some farm ponds, a river and a few streams running near the trail.
The Great Western is just a short distance from the Bill Riley Trail and visitors can follow a short stretch of road within Water Works Park to get from one to the other. Named for longtime civic leader and businessman Bill Riley, this trail winds its way from Water Works Park to Ashworth Park.
Future connections are being planned to link these trails to West Des Moines trails, the Clive Greenbelt Trail, Gray's Lake and John Pat Dorrian Trail in Des Moines.
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Trailhead maps on this site:
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Resources from other sites:
- Polk County Conservation Board
Here you can find a map for the Great Western Trail. It gives general trail information, services and a brief history. The map is clearly labeled and well laid out.
- Des Moines Parks and Recreation
This site profiles only the shorter Bill Riley trail but includes several versions of the trail map along with a trail description.
- Warren County Conservation Board
General information, services, and trail use guidelines can be found on this site. There is a link to a brochure and map.
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For local information:
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