FROM THE RACCOON RIVER VALLEY TRAIL ASSOC. WEBSITE
Anxious for the Raccoon River Valley Trail's "North Loop" to
be completed? It could take 3 to 4 years, unless creative ways
can be found to expedite funding pledged for
future fiscal years. Here are some insights and tips on
that huge, 33-mile addition from Mike Wallace, the
Dallas County Conservation director who is
coordinating most of the work on the project.
Click here to continue
Raccoon River Valley Trail lapel pins available for $7 each.
Pins can be picked up at the DCCB office or mailed out
for another $1.
Facts & Figures
Fees
A permit is required by anyone 18 years and older. Permit envelopes are available at the trailheads on the trail or you may purchase one through the mail by sending a check to:
Dallas County Conservation Board
14581 K Ave.
Perry, Iowa 50220
Daily permit: $2.00 per trail user.
Annual permit: $10.00 per calendar year.
Length
The Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a 56 miles long multi-use recreational trail. It extends from the Clive Greenbelt Trail to Jefferson, and passes through the communities of Clive, Urbandale, Waukee, Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Herndon, Cooper and Jefferson.
Surface: Asphalt
Grade: The Raccoon River Valley Trail is mostly flat, with only 1% to 2% grade.
Trailheads:
Waukee: Jct. of Hwy.6 & Co. Rd. R22 -- Restrooms, trail passes, maps, information- Ortonville: Jct. of Hwy.6 and Co. Rd. R16 -- trail passes, maps, information, camping
- Adel: 18th St. parking lot -- restrooms, trail passes
- Redfield: Redfield Depot parking lot, north of Hwy. 6 -- restrooms, water, picnic tables, trail passes, maps, information, concessions
- Linden: Jct. of Co. Rd. P30 & city park -- restrooms, water, trail passes, concessions
- Panora: SE 6th St. just off Hwy. 44 -- picnic tables, restrooms (at nearby restaurant), water, trail passes
- Yale: SE edge of town on Co. Rd. F25 -- restrooms, picnic tables, water, trail passes, maps, information
- Herndon: Center of town, park on street. No city facilities.
- Cooper: Center of town, in scalehouse of former elevator, just off Co. Rd. E57 -- water, restrooms.
- Jefferson: Restored railroad depot at Co. Rd. E53 (old Hwy. 30) -- restrooms, water, historic interpretive displays.
History
The Raccoon River Valley Trail is built on a former railroad right-of-way. A number of railroad companies owned the right-of-way over the years. The following is a condensed time line of rail and trail activity on this corridor of land:
- August 5, 1871: The Des Moines Western Railway Company was incorporated and site of right-of-way was located that year.
- 1878: First trains began operating between Waukee and the east bank of the Raccoon River
in Adel.
- Late December 1879: Right-of-way extended from Adel to Panora.
- September 27, 1880: The railroad company name was changed to Des Moines Northwestern Railway Company and the line was eventually extended to Spirit Lake.
- April 12, 1952: The last passenger train ran from Des Moines to Spirit Lake and back.
- December 28, 1987: Central Iowa Energy Cooperative purchased the line from the Chicago and Northwestern Transportation Company and entered into a management agreement with the Iowa Trails Council and the Dallas and Guthrie County Conservation Boards to construct and manage a multi-use recreational trail on the right-of-way.
- 1989: The original 34 miles (Waukee to Yale) of the Raccoon River Valley Trail were opened for use.
- 1990-2000: The RRVT was extended from Yale to Jefferson and from Waukee to Clive. The Dallas, Guthrie, and Greene County Conservation Boards purchased the right-of-way.
- Summer 2004: A surface overlay was done on a section of the original trail in Dallas County from County road P58 west to the county line.
- Summer 2005: A surface overlay was completed east of P58 to Waukee.
Upcoming Events
The Dallas County Conservation Board is always on the watch for new trail opportunities to acquire and develop. These trail systems provide recreational opportunities as well as provide and preserve wildlife habitat. They are an important part of the quality of life we pursue. Within the next couple of years, we are proposing to develop a new 33 mile “North Loop” on the Raccoon River Valley Trail, which, when completed, will become a huge tourist attraction for central Iowa.
Currently, the trail covers 56 miles, from Waukee to Jefferson. The proposed 33 mile extension will allow trail users to ride, walk and/or jog from Herndon through Jamaica, Dawson and Perry; into Minburn and Dallas Center and then reconnect to Waukee. This 33 mile extension will make the new 89 mile trail, containing a 72 mile loop, one of the longest recreational trails in the U.S.
The complete project, including all of the community related projects, will top $13 million. Construction might begin as early as this summer, but the first segment probably won’t be opened to the public until 2009. It all comes down to funding.
Director of the Dallas County Conservation Board, Mike Wallace, in collaboration with Greene and Guthrie County, is in the process of preparing an application for a Community Attraction & Tourism (CAT) grant. This approximately 3.8 million dollar grant will help fund the 33 mile extension and many community projects along the route.