The Great American Rail-Trail

Posted on July 29, 2019 in Blog

May 10, 1869 marked the completion of the transcontinental railroad, a 1,912-mile continuous railroad line linking the United States from east to west. Nearly 150 years later to the day, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy announced the preferred path of another cross-country route, one that will span 12 states and the District of Columbia, and run 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 from Washington, D.C. to Washington State – including Iowa. 246.6 miles of the 465.3-mile trail from Davenport to Council Bluffs have already been completed, with 218.7 miles still in various phases of development. 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, run along rail-trails INHF helped create.

INHF and local communities are also working on yet-to-be-completed segments, including the Iowa River Trail, a 34-mile former railroad corridor stretching from Marshalltown to Steamboat Rock, and the High Trestle Trail/Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector, a 9-mile trail between Perry and Woodward will connect two of Iowa's biggest and best trail systems. To learn more about how you can support these trails and consequently the Great American Rail-Trail visit inhf.org