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High Trestle Trail is a
rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
running from Ankeny to Woodward in central
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
.Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website
updated October 2011, retrieved October 14, 2011.
The recreation trail opened on April 30, 2011.http://www.inhf.org/high-trestle-trail-intro.cfm ''Premier trail and bridge officially opens at Grand Celebration, April 2011'' INHF website, updated October 2011, retrieved October 10, 2011.http://www.inhf.org//trails/high-trestle.cfm ''Map of High Trestle Trail'' INHF website retrieved March 14, 2011.http://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation/parks-trails/13-high-trestle-trail/map-detail/ ''High Trestle Trail Map'' Polk County Conservation Board website retrieved April 20, 2013. ''Transportation Map for Bicyclists'', 2010 edition, (see trail #2) Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) website retrieved February 17, 2010. It is a paved recreational trail that runs through the
Polk Polk may refer to: People * James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States * Polk (name), other people with the name Places *Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois * Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Polk, Missouri ...
,
Story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...
, Boone, and
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
counties. The trail's name is derived from a former 1913 bridge that spanned the Des Moines River between the towns of
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
and Woodward. Conservation board directors and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation estimate that more than 3,000 people use this trail each week.http://www.inhf.org/high-trestle-trail-intro.cfm ''High Trestle Trail'' Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation website updated June 2011 retrieved July 19, 2011. The trail is a major component of a planned pair of 100-mile (160 km) loops that will meet near Des Moines.


Development

The High Trestle Trail follows the route of a former
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
(UPRR) freight line between Woodward and Ankeny, Iowa. UPRR first proposed retiring the line in 2003. The lowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), which had organized other rail-trail projects in Iowa, bought the corridor from UPRR in 2005. As part of the transaction, UPRR donated over $3 million of land value. INHF then transferred sections of the land to partner agencies in the five cities and four counties within the corridor. Construction on the trail, designed by engineering firm Snyder and Associates, Inc. began in early 2006 to include of trail in Woodward. In 2007, bookend projects in Woodward and Ankeny were constructed. The catalyst for construction came from a $5.6 million Congressional appropriation in 2005. With the help of additional state and federal grants, 20 additional miles of trail were completed and opened to the public in 2008. The last portion to be completed was the high bridge over the Des Moines River. A $1.75 million grant from Vision Iowa, a project of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, helped fund the construction of a new bridge superstructure designed by Shuck-Britson, Inc., and artwork by RDG Dahlquist Art Studio. The project was officially completed with the grand opening of the bridge in April 2011. Following its completion, the trail was awarded a Mid American Energy Trails and Greenways project award that October.


Trestle bridge

The 13-story-high (40-meter) and nearly half-mile-long (770-meter) trestle bridge provides scenic views of the Des Moines River Valleyhttps://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42663&id=20832839998 ''High Trestle Trail Photos'' High Trestle Trail INHF Facebook website updated April 2011, retrieved July 19, 2011. and is located near mining shafts that were worked by Italian immigrant families and others who settled nearby. The bridge decking incorporates a decorative structure that represents the view through a mine shaft,http://rdgusa.com/high_trestle_trail/latest_news/components.html ''High Trestle Trail: High Trestle Bridge , Artwork'' Components of Bridge Art on RDg Dahlquist Art Studios website retrieved July 19, 2011.http://rdgusa.com/high_trestle_trail/latest_news/photos.html ''High Trestle Trail: High Trestle Bridge , Artwork'' Daytime Photos of the bridge art on RDg Dahlquist Art Studios website retrieved July 19, 2011.http://rdgusa.com/high_trestle_trail/latest_news/2011/04/photos---april-13-2011.html ''High Trestle Trail: High Trestle Bridge , Artwork'' Nighttime Photos of the bridge art on RDg Dahlquist Art Studios website retrieved July 19, 2011. and its design includes decorative lighting that remains on from dusk until midnight in the summer and until 9:00 pm in the winter.http://www.inhf.org//trails/high-trestle.cfm ''Central Iowa Trails Network'' INHF website retrieved October 10, 2011. The bridge was originally built in the 1970s to carry rail traffic on a
Milwaukee Road The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States fr ...
line. With the retirement of that rail line in the early 2000s, the original bridge deck was removed, and its steel I-beams were reused for a new Union Pacific bridge in Boone. However, the piers (or
trestles ATLAS-I (Air Force Weapons Lab Transmission-Line Aircraft Simulator), better known as Trestle, was a unique electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generation and testing apparatus built between 1972 and 1980 during the Cold War at Sandia National Labora ...
) remained in place, and the original piers now support a new deck designed for pedestrian and
bicycle traffic Utility cycling encompasses any cycling done simply as a means of transport rather than as a sport or leisure activity. It is the original and most common type of cycling in the world. Cycling mobility is one of the various types of private t ...
. Between the removal of the original decking and the construction of its replacement, the single-file line of unconnected concrete piers was informally known as "Iowa's Stonehenge". On April 2, 2015, the
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...
showcased the High Trestle Trail Bridge as part of a globe-spanning collection of eight eye-catching footbridges.


Trailheads

These are the trailheads: * Ankeny * Sheldahl *
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*
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
* Woodward


Connections to other recreational trails

The High Trestle Trail connects at
Slater A slater, or slate mason, is a tradesperson who covers buildings with slate. Tools of the trade The various tools of the slater's trade are all drop-forged. The slater's hammer is forged in one single piece, from crucible-cast steel, and ha ...
to the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail in
Story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...
and
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
counties. A connection to
Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
is planned via Big Creek State Park and the Neal Smith Trail.https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=212816457429398096288.0004a0bb69abdd70f28f5&ll=41.872373,-93.88813&spn=0.110696,0.207367&z=12&iwloc=0004a0bb6d45af79befe8%20%3Chttp://maps.google''Ankeny to Woodward trail map (big)'' INHF website retrieved February 22, 2010. A third connection is planned between Woodward and
Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
to the
Raccoon River Valley Trail Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a rail trail running from Waukee, Iowa, to Jefferson, Iowa. In 2013, an additional north loop was completed on the RRVT, making the RRVT nearly of paved trails and having a paved interior loop of more than . ...
. The High Trestle Trail lies between two recreational trail loops near
Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
. The western loop involves the
Raccoon River Valley Trail Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a rail trail running from Waukee, Iowa, to Jefferson, Iowa. In 2013, an additional north loop was completed on the RRVT, making the RRVT nearly of paved trails and having a paved interior loop of more than . ...
and the
Clive Greenbelt Trail Clive Greenbelt Trail is an urban recreational trail in Clive, Iowa and forms part of the Central Iowa Trails network. This very busy recreational trail runs through Polk and Dallas Counties in Iowa. It is a curvy, paved asphalt Asphalt, ...
. The eastern loop includes the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail, the Chichaqua Valley Trail and the Gay Lea Wilson Trail. As of May 2021, a spur trail is planned to connect the High Trestle Trail from Woodward through
Granger Granger may refer to: People *Granger (name) *Hermione Granger, a fictional character in Harry Potter United States * Granger, Indiana * Granger, Iowa * Granger, Minnesota * Granger, Missouri * Granger, New York * Granger, Ohio * Granger, Te ...
to the Jester Park located along the western shore of the
Saylorville Lake Saylorville Lake is a reservoir on the Des Moines River in Iowa, United States. It is located upstream from the city of Des Moines, and from the mouth of the Des Moines River at the Mississippi River. It was constructed as part of a flood contro ...
. The long Saylorville Lake is located upstream of
Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
and has the Neil Smith Trail, a paved recreational trail, located near its eastern shore. South of the Saylorville Dam is a trail, which is known as "the connector", that connects the Neil Smith Trail and the Ankeny trails system. The Neil Smith and John Pat Dorrian Trails connect southward along the east side of the
Des Moines River The Des Moines River () is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwestern United States that is approximately long from its farther headwaters.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe Na ...
from the
Big Creek Lake Big Creek Lake (or ''Converse Reservoir'') is a municipal reservoir which serves as the main source of drinking water for the city of Mobile, Alabama and its suburbs. It was formed by the damming of Big Creek, a tributary of the Escatawpa River in ...
marina, through Polk City, Saylorville Lake, the Birdland Marina, and the Des Moines Botanical Center to the Gray’s Lake Park located just south of
downtown Des Moines Downtown Des Moines is the central business district of Des Moines, Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area. Downtown Des Moines is defined by the City of Des Moines as located between the Des Moines River to the east, the Raccoon Rive ...
in the greater Des Moines trails system. When the Des Moines River is above flood stage between the Saylorville Dam and Des Moines, portions of the Neil Smith trail may be underwater.Neal Smith Trail
BikeIowa website. Retrieved May 25, 2021.


See also

*
List of rail trails This is a list of rail trails around the world longer than 0.1 miles (160 metres). Rail trails are former railway lines that have been converted to paths designed for pedestrian, bicycle, skating, equestrian, and/or light motorized traffic. Most ...
*
Raccoon River Valley Trail Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a rail trail running from Waukee, Iowa, to Jefferson, Iowa. In 2013, an additional north loop was completed on the RRVT, making the RRVT nearly of paved trails and having a paved interior loop of more than . ...


References


External links


High Trestle Trail
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website

RDg Dahlquist Art Studios website

RDg Dahlquist Art Studios website
High Trestle Trail Map
Polk County Conservation Board website
Map of High Trestle Trail with connections to other trails (pdf)
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website
High Trestle Trail
Polk County Conservation Board website
High Trestle Trail Bridge
Documentary produced by
Iowa Public Television Iowa PBS, formerly Iowa Public Television (IPTV), is a network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is owned by the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, an agency of the state education department which h ...

Central Iowa Trail SystemCentral Iowa Trails Network
- overview
Heart of Iowa Nature Trail
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website
Neal Smith Trail
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website
Raccoon River Valley Trail
- Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) website
Raccoon River Valley Trail
- Chuck Offenburger's website
Bike IowaEnvision Woodward!
website {{Coord, 41.867251, -93.868050, type:landmark_region:US-IA, display=title Rail trails in Iowa Protected areas of Polk County, Iowa Protected areas of Story County, Iowa Protected areas of Boone County, Iowa Protected areas of Dallas County, Iowa Ankeny, Iowa 2011 establishments in Iowa