Explore the best rated trails in Spencer, IA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Tatonka Ska Trace and Sandy Hollow Recreation Trail . With more than 15 trails covering 123 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
This is a wonderful bike trail that goes all the way around West Okoboji to the north taking the old railway—beautiful Iowa prairie with wild flowers, all the way to Spirit Lake. Then it goes south to East Okoboji, Hwy 71 with a nicely paved trail. Not always marked well but once you know the way, it’s a piece of cake. 26 miles around West and East Okoboji. We love it!
We started out in Humboldt on Hwy 3 and rode east to Thor. This is a well maintained crushed stone trail. There were no wash outs or wash boarding.
Many areas have tree canopy over the trail. A very easy and pleasant ride.
My husband and I (and our brother-in-law, a Sheldon resident) rode some of the trail this morning, starting out near the schools and then crossing over Rt18 to ride through some scenic areas — a park, some neighborhoods, lots of trees and even past a cow farm, with an up close view! The trail goes under Highway 18 at the Floyd river, and continues to the community college. We turned around at the fork that would have taken us to the college, and headed back the same way we came. The current trail connects the college, the schools, and parks. Future goals for the trail are to complete it on the south side of the highway, so that it forms a loop all the way around the city. The newest phase loops around the pond right behind Crossroads Pavilion Event Center, near the intersection of H18 & H60 on the east end of town. (This doesn’t show up on the trail map yet.) All of the trail is paved. There are a few areas where you ride on a couple of neighborhood streets until you pick up the trail again. The trail developers have added some really nice touches — benches, a gazebo, an arched entryway at Hills Park created from bricks that were salvaged from Sheldon Middle School. They’ve done a great job, it was an enjoyable ride.
Trail is really great but could definitely use some more gravel in certain areas where the path is shaded and it doesn't get as much sun the sand can suck all the energy out of you. Of course that could just be in the Winter months.
Beautiful trail to ride right next to the lake and through parks. Most of the trail is on the sidewalk, but some is on a bike lane in the street (low traffic).
Very peaceful and beautiful. Short, but nice. Only 4 stars b/c the crushed rock can be soft and uneven in places.
Very peaceful and beautiful ride. Only a couple miles, but very nice. The reason for only 4 stars is that the crushed rock makes a soft and somewhat uneven riding surface.
We only walked a bit of the trail, but saw no one on it the whole 30-45 min we were on it.
Took our 6-month-old puppy on a summer, Monday, mid-afternoon. Met one walker and one bicycler. It was mostly quiet and mostly shady with benches along the way. It is near a highway, but far enough away and within a speed zone, so even semis were not a challenge. A nice walk on a basically flat trail.
They have added about 3.75 miles to the west of the trail from Hyvee in Spirit Lake west to Vick's Corner on Highway 86.
Awesome biking trail! Very smooth packed gravel trail. Restrooms and air stations available in some areas. Plan full day and bring water/energy bars.
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