How will a 9-mile Des Moines bike trail open a world of possibilities?

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It's just a segment of bike trail. Why is this summer's completion of a link between the High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley trails a big deal?

What are the trails?

RAGBRAI isn't the only thing that puts Iowa on the map for biking enthusiasts. Many around the country also can name not one but two Des Moines metro bike trails: the High Trestle Trail and the Raccoon River Valley Trail ― each widely known for its own superlative feature.

Why is the High Trestle Trail famous?

A converted, paved former railroad line, the High Trestle Trail runs north from the Carney Marsh Preserve in Ankeny 25 miles through Uptown Ankeny, Sheldahl and Slater, then west to Madrid and Woodward. Why is it so well known? The answer lies about 2 1/2 miles east of Woodward: a bridge that many consider one of the most spectacular spans on any American bicycle trail.

Towering 13 stories over the Des Moines River, the half-mile-long High Trestle bridge is dramatically framed with a series of offset diagonals formed by sculptures representing coal cribs, a structural feature of the underground mines that once dotted the region. At night, the cribs are lit in LED hues.

What's so special about the Raccoon River Valley Trail?

Known by its abbreviation, the RRVT is another rail trail. It doesn't have anything quite like the High Trestle Trail's signature bridge, though colorful lighting adorns the much smaller bridge the trail crosses in Adel. But it has a different standout feature: Minus side trails, it's 72 miles long and both begins and ends in Waukee. That makes it the longest paved loop trail in the nation.

More: Raccoon River Valley Trail is fee-free in 2024

Nowhere else can you park a car, unload your bike, and then log as many miles on an off-road, hard-surface trail without having to either backtrack or have someone pick you up somewhere down the line.

The RRVT also was a pioneer of paved U.S. bike trails, and it has been inducted into the National Rail Trail Hall of Fame.

So what does the new link mean?

Already, you can ride exclusively on paved trails from downtown Des Moines to both the RRVT trailhead and to a connection with the High Trestle Trail where it crosses Oralabor Road on an elaborate new bridge. But ever since the High Trestle Trail opened 13 years ago, there's been a gap between Woodward, its western terminus, and Perry, where riders on the RRVT either turn southeast toward Waukee or continue west to Herndon, then south and southeast to Redfield before turning back toward Waukee.

As of Aug. 16 or sooner, if the contractor hired to do the work beats its deadline, the last 2 miles of that 9-mile gap will disappear under an extension of the High Trestle Trail ― though some wags already have christened the new segment the High Raccoon Trail, complete with a logo of a raccoon smoking something that's not tobacco.

With its opening, the combined trails and other existing connections will provide a 120-mile loop, featuring the High Trestle's crown jewel bridge. That's not just an added attraction for local riders. It opens a new possibility for bike tourism, enticing visitors with the possibility of a multi-day ride without the hassle of sharing roads with cars.

It's also mainly level, with no big climbs. And being in the middle of America, it's a great hopping-off point for other rides.

What is the potential of the trail?

Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says the group's annual Bacoon ride on the Raccoon River Valley Trail draws 6,000 riders and generates $500,000 in annual impact. It also hosts the women-oriented Pigtails ride on the High Trestle Trail.

More: Iowa's bike trails, tourism ambitions grow along with RAGBRAI

"The interconnectivity of these two trails will generate even more economic development and opportunities for rural revitalization," Hoffman said, recalling that on a solo RRVT ride he'd met a couple who'd driven from Minnesota just to experience the trail.

"I think the potential is limitless," he said.

Dallas County Conservation Director Mike Wallace, who's spent years deeply involved in the complicated link-up project, said in a column written for a forthcoming newsletter that he "can't wait" to see the trail open, adding in an interview that some sort of celebration will be planned.

"One of the more satisfying things I have witnessed as we approach the final connections of this project can be summed up by the saying, 'if you build it, they will come,' " he wrote. "Benefits of this trail extension project include improvements to our trail towns, new economic opportunities for businesses to capitalize on, amenities such as campgrounds adjacent to the trail, and overall improvement of viewscapes. New homes are being built close to the trails because recreational opportunities are important to homeowners when deciding where to live."

What would be the itinerary?

A rider determined to navigate the big, new loop could set out from downtown Des Moines along the Neal Smith Trail, take the Oralabor Gateway Trail into Ankeny, turn north on the High Trestle Trail, cross the big bridge and conclude the first day in Perry, "glamping" overnight in the luxurious and historic Hotel Pattee. The next day would bring a ride around the rest of the loop, with stops in towns like Panora, Redfield and Adel before passing through Waukee.

Connections with the Clive Greenway, Walnut Creek, Bill Riley and Meredith trails would return the rider to the downtown starting point.

What about camping?

With minor detours, tenters would be able to use the trail-connected campgrounds in Dallas County's Sportsman Park near Dawson (which also has cabins); below the dam and on the west side of Saylorville Lake; at Adel's Island Park or the Dallas County Fairgrounds; or at Walnut Woods State Park across the Raccoon River in West Des Moines via the soon-to-be-completed Athene pedestrian bridge.

The campground at a scenic Iowa favorite, Ledges State Park, is an 11-mile, easily ridden road detour from Madrid. And Wallace said a privately owned campground planned along the new link.

Are there other attractions?

Well over a dozen breweries and wineries are either on the trails or within a short distance, plus bike-friendly water holes like Captain Roy's in Des Moines and Madrid's Flat Tire Lounge. There's also ice cream, antiquing, historic sites and other fun distractions.

It's easy to imagine an August tour that starts in Des Moines with a visit to the Iowa State Fair, then spends two days on the trail amid the small towns and cornfields. What better way to experience genuine Iowa?

Bill Steiden is the investigative and business editor for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at wsteiden@registermedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why linking the High Trestle, Raccoon River Valley trails is a big deal