Five Years of the Great American Rail-Trail

The High Trestle Trail, with its signature bridge, is part of the Great American Rail Trail. Photo by Lisa Hein, INHF

Inspired by a railroad line that once linked the United States from east to west, Rails to Trails Conservancy announced in 2019 the preferred path of another cross-country route — one that will span 12 states and the District of Columbia — and right through the heart of Iowa.

When finished, the Great American Rail-Trail will stretch more than 3,700 miles connecting people, places and trails between Washington, D.C. and Washington State. Now, a little over five years since the trail was formally announced, more than 55% of the route (over 2,075 miles) is ready to ride. 

“The Great American Rail-Trail is the nation’s first cross-country multi-use trail,” says Kevin Belle, project manager for the Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC). “RTC works with hundreds of partners around the country who are helping to plan, fundraise for, build, maintain and operate their sections of the trail. We are enthusiastic with the momentum we are seeing around the country.”

Roughly that same percentage of completion applies to the route within our state. In Iowa, 256 miles of the 463.6-mile trail from Davenport to Council Bluffs already exist, with the remaining 205 miles in various phases of development. “There’s so much happening in Iowa,” Belle remarks. “It really is a great trails state.”

 Many segments along the route, including the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, the High Trestle Trail, the T-Bone Trail and the Raccoon River Valley Trail among others, are trails INHF helped create. A big milestone was reached just last year when the High Trestle Trail/Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector, a 9-mile trail between Perry and Woodward, opened to connect two of Iowa’s biggest and most used trail systems.

INHF and local communities continue working on yet-to-be-completed segments, including the Iowa River’s Edge Trail, a 34-mile former railroad corridor stretching from Marshalltown to Steamboat Rock, and a 17-mile extension of the Raccoon River Valley Trail to connect the towns of Herndon and Coon Rapids. 

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Map showing the progress of the Great American Rail Trail in Iowa.

Recreational riding in Iowa generates $1.4 billion in economic impact, according to a 2024 study published by Iowa Bicycle Coalition

Want to help? Use the sections of the trail near you. Bring others with you. Talk about how much you enjoy using trails. Post pictures of your adventures and use the hashtag #GRTAmerican so Rails to Trails Conservancy and others can see it, too! When Iowans make our love for trails visible, community leaders can more easily see the importance of funding and supporting these projects. “It’s important to make sure decision makers know that these trails are valuable community assets and are well-used and well-loved,” says Belle. “People can also donate to their local trail groups, including INHF, and to Rails to Trails Conservancy to continue to help make these trails possible.”