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Imagine bicycling down a path through forests, past pines, native hickory, oak, walnut, maple, and mulberry trees, through wetlands and farms, over rivers to nearby towns. Rabbits scamper away, deer watch from behind tree trunks, and quail sit quietly camouflaged. On warm summer nights, lightning bugs flash in the dark velvet sky and crickets sing their soft fluting melodies.
Sound magical? It is, and thanks to the members of the Jefferson County Trails Council (JCTC), it will soon be a reality. You'll be able to experience the silence of nature on walks, hikes, or horseback rides--through the countryside, devoid of traffic, lights, or electric buzz.
The Jefferson County Conservation Board, which oversees the parks, was the first to see that existing trails in Jefferson County Park could be linked to Libertyville. To undertake this project, the Board established the Jefferson County Trails Council, a branch of the Iowa Trails Council.
The Iowa Trails Council is a state chapter of Rails to Trails, which acts as a parental organization to help local chapters create multi-purpose trails out of old railroad beds. The tracks are taken up, the path is cleaned of shrubs and trees, and a proper surface--limestone rocks, cinder, or cement--is applied. In Iowa alone, over 250 miles of former railroad tracks have been converted to useful, idyllic trails.
The new path will begin in Jefferson County Park, where part of the old railroad bed has already been developed, and will wind its way to Libertyville, spanning a ten-mile distance on the old Rock Island Railroad Line. The path will start on the south side of the park, cross Suburban Heights Road, and continue along for three-quarters of a mile to Cedar Creek.
The Rock Island Railroad has given up its right of way for the trails, and all but two of the landowners have given permission to use their property. A few easements still need to be secured.
In November, volunteers from JCTC cleared the new path of trees up to Cedar Creek. Gravel will be put down in the spring. The old bridge, which spanned 380 feet over the Cedar River, has been torn down and will need to be rebuilt. Ron Blair, a member of JCTC's publicity committee, calls this spot Jefferson County's mini-Grand Canyon, with its striking, deeply cut ravine.
"It's so beautiful up there, almost like a gorge," says Blair, "and about 100 feet below one can only see trees."
JCTC plans to complete the trail in the next two to five years. The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfield city council are giving their full support to building the trail. Most of the funding will come from the Department of Transportation (DOT). It has budgeted approximately $50 million for the new Highway 34 bypass, and a portion of this amount is designated for recreational projects, such as trails. JCTC needs to raise about $l million to fund the entire project, including buying land, rebuilding the bridge, and paving the trail. Any expenses not covered by the DOT funds will be met by other state and federal grants as well as by private donations.
Blair says Iowa has come a long way in its appreciation of the Rails to Trails concept. "Initially, people were concerned about what a trail might bring: motorcycle gangs, thieves, campgrounds, and excessive litter," he says. "Now, nearly everyone realizes that it'll be a terrific asset for tourism. We'll have one more thing to offer bicyclists in addition to Ragbrai."
Because of Iowa's abundance of expansive rolling landscapes and lack of challenging slopes in many areas, bicycle riding could become a prominent attraction here.
Nationwide, Rails to Trails already exists in many states, and eventually, a trail will run from the East Coast all the way to California. In Virginia, adventurous cyclists like to get dropped off at the top of a 34-mile trail through the mountains and cycle down from 3,576 feet. Nebraska's Cowboy Trail is popular, too, and Kansas, Idaho, Oregon, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, and many other states are also refurbishing their old railroads into usable paths.
In Jefferson County, additional trails could be developed for those who prefer riding their bikes to driving their cars. According to Blair, development of future trails is being discussed by the JCTC. One possibility is building trails that connect all of the parks in the Fairfield area.
"This is a way to improve Iowa for generations to come," Blair says. "You just realise you're not on this earth for that long and it's nice to leave things for the future generation. For hundreds of years ahead, people will enjoy these trails."
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The Jefferson County Trails Council, which now has about 45 members, welcomes you to join! Membership costs $35 for families and $25 for individuals, and includes a subscription to the quarterly "Iowa Trails Council Newsletter." Members may also enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded individuals at regular meetings. For more information or to join, call Kathy Peck at 472-6931.
