The Waukee Brief
Here's Waukee's quiet superpower: the Raccoon River Valley Trail, one of the longest paved trails in Iowa, starts and loops back right here. From one trailhead you can ride 89 car-free miles out through the county's small towns and back, or stick to town on the Heart of the Warrior, Sugar Creek and Kettlestone paths. Here's the map in plain English.
Waukee is a trail town. The Raccoon River Valley Trail starts at the Waukee trailhead and runs ~89 paved miles (a 72-mile loop) through 14 other communities. In town, about 25 miles of connecting trails include the Heart of the Warrior Trail, the Sugar Creek Trail, and the Kettlestone trails. The trailhead is marked by the landmark Waukee Railroad Pergola. Everything's hard-surfaced.
The Raccoon River Valley Trail is the headliner, but the everyday value is how the city trails feed into it. The Heart of the Warrior Trail runs east-to-west through Waukee near Centennial Park, the Sugar Creek Trail threads the south side, and the Kettlestone trails wind through the fast-growing west side, so you can string together a ride or a walk without spending much time on the road.
The Raccoon River Valley Trail is a former rail line turned into one of Iowa's marquee paved trails - 89 miles in all, with a 72-mile loop that lets you ride out and back without retracing your route. It rolls through Dallas and Guthrie county towns like Adel, Dallas Center, Perry and Jamaica, and it was named one of Iowa's Great Places in 2015. Starting from Waukee, it's a genuine destination ride (pack water and snacks - the towns along the way are the rest stops).
The Waukee trailhead is marked by the Waukee Railroad Pergola, a public art installation titled "In the Shadow of the Rails." Dedicated in 2018, it nods to Waukee's railroad and coal-mining past and has become the town's signature trail landmark - a natural meet-up and photo spot before you roll out.
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Waukee has about 25 miles of city trails and is the anchor town for the Raccoon River Valley Trail, an 89-mile paved regional trail that starts in Waukee, winds through 14 other Dallas and Guthrie county communities, and loops back. In town you will also find the Heart of the Warrior Trail, the Sugar Creek Trail in southern Waukee, and the Kettlestone trails on the west side.
Yes. The Raccoon River Valley Trail starts at the Waukee trailhead, marked by the landmark Waukee Railroad Pergola, and runs paved for 89 miles through towns like Adel, Dallas Center, Perry and Jamaica. A 72-mile loop lets you ride out and back without repeating much of the route.
Yes. The Raccoon River Valley Trail is fully paved, so it suits road bikes, hybrids, strollers, inline skates and walking. Waukee's roughly 25 miles of connecting city trails, including the Heart of the Warrior and Kettlestone trails, are hard-surfaced paths that feed into the regional network.
The Raccoon River Valley Trail is one of the longest paved trails in Iowa, with 89 miles of trail that includes a 72-mile loop. It was named one of Iowa's Great Places in 2015 and links Waukee to more than a dozen surrounding communities.
The Waukee Railroad Pergola, titled In the Shadow of the Rails, is a public art installation at the Raccoon River Valley Trail trailhead in Waukee. Dedicated in 2018, it marks the trailhead and celebrates Waukee's railroad and coal-mining history.
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