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Want to get involved?
Public support and involvement is critical to the success of this project!  There's many ways you can help support development of the Iowa River Rail Trail:
  • Talk to your friends, neighbors and particularly your local elected officials (city council, mayor, county supervisors, etc.) and voice your support for development of the trail and the benefits it will bring to Hardin and Marshall Counties.
  • Make a tax-deductible contribution to the Hardin County Recreational Trails Committee.  Local fundraising will be critical as we seek matching funds to secure grant monies for trail construction.
  • Become a Hardin County Trails Committee volunteer and assist with marketing, attending local government meetings, speaking to community groups about the project or a host of other opportunities.

For more information on how you can get involved, contact us at hardincountytrails@gmail.com
Iowa River Rail Trail Project

For the latest news on the IRRT project
visit the "Updates & News" link to the left or click here!

IMPORTANT NOTE....the IRRT corridor is currently CLOSED to the public while railroad salvage operations continue through the summer of 2014, and necessary stabilization work is completed to make the future trail safe for public access.  Please avoid the corridor until further notice; announcements will be made here and in local media once the trail is open for public use.  Thanks for your cooperation!



IRT corridor just prior to the rails being removed in Liscomb, IA

The Iowa River Rail Trail (IRRT) is a 34 mile long multi-use recreation trail currently under development on the recently abandoned Iowa River Railroad right-of-way between Steamboat Rock and Marshalltown in Central Iowa.  Once complete, the trail will:

  • Connect seven communities (Steamboat Rock, Eldora, Gifford, Union, Liscomb, Albion & Marshalltown) across two counties (Hardin & Marshall) with a linear park perfect for bicycling, running, walking, wildlife viewing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, equestrian usage and a host of other year-round outdoor recreational activities.
  • Directly link Hardin County into the backbone of the Central Iowa Trail Network currently stretching from Marshalltown to the Des Moines metro area and beyond.
  • Tie together and compliment several Iowa River Greenbelt areas, further bolstering Hardin & Marshall Counties as “the” destination for outdoor recreation in Central Iowa.
  • Serve as a catalyst for economic development efforts in the seven communities it will link together, drawing visitors looking for food, lodging, supplies, and other trail amenities.
  • Promote health and wellness for local residents and visitors.
  • Protect valuable prairie, woodland, wetland and other native wildlife habitat along its path.
  • Serve as a buffer protecting the area’s precious soil and water resources, while complimenting other conservation minded agricultural practices doing the same along its corridor.
  • Preserve a historically significant railroad right-of-way that was central to the settlement of the area.
  • Serve as the backbone of a trail system in Hardin County eventually connecting Iowa Falls, Alden and the rest of the Iowa River Greenbelt.

The IRRT has the potential to become one of Iowa’s premier destination recreational trails, drawing visitors from across the state and upper Midwest, resulting from the very unique natural diversity and beauty of the Iowa River Greenbelt that can only be found in Hardin and Marshall Counties!
Copyright Hardin County Recreational Trails 2010
P.O. Box 195, Iowa Falls, IA 50126
hardincountytrails@gmail.com
641.648.2483