Iowa's Heritage Trail runs for 27 miles between just west of city of Dubuque and the town of Dyersville to the west. The crushed-limestone trail follows an old railroad corridor of the former Chicago Northwestern line. You'll see remnants of the area's milling and mining past along the way, which were linked via the rails.
Other towns you'll pass through are Farley, Epworth, Graf, Twin Springs, Budd Road and Durango. But the Heritage Trail also features scenic landscapes of woodland, farmland, limestone bluffs, prairies and wetlands.
Snowmobiles are allowed on the length of the trail when snow reaches a depth of 4 inches, but horses are not permitted anywhere on the trail. There is a day-use fee to use the trail. Refer to the
Dubuque County website for information on where to buy trail passes.
Parking is available in Sageville (at the eastern terminus), Durango, Twin Spring, Graf, Epworth, Farley and Dyersville (at the western terminus).
We biked from Durango to Graff, back to Durango and on to Sageville in June, 2012. The trail damage from the flash flood in 2011 has been repaired. The gravel on the trail was hard packed gravel in most places. Daily trail passes are required @ $2.10 ...
Flash flooding in late July has destroyed the portion of the trail from the Sageville trailhead at least to Durango -- the bridge at Durango is completely destroyed. It will be a long time before this west end of the trail is in service again. :(
This is a very nice ride, especially with fall colors. I started at the trailhead north of Dubuque (the present eastern terminus). I rode rather slowly, stopping to take pictures along the way of beautiful hillsides with trees in full fall color. The ...