I walk this trail daily with my dog.

Just great for general biking for all, even for septigenerian like me(younger folk can just ride faster!), however map isn’t current, it now goes several miles N. of Spencer, almost to Fostoria

This is a great trail. However, we only did 1/2 of it. We started out at the beginning of the trail on the east side of Big Spirit Lake and rode south to Memorial Park. Then we headed back the way we came, but continued West around Big Spirit Lake. This was nearly 16 miles. The directions tell you to park on a gravel lot on 253rd about 1/2 of a mile before the end point. We drove down to the end point to check it out and found several spots along the side of the road where you could park. It was nice to start the trail at the beginning because you get to ride through soy and corn fields. There are a few spots where signage could be improved. But if you just keep in mind that you should always be able to see the lake then you'll intuitively know which direction to go. One of the things I really like about this trail is how little you are on the road. It's nice to be away from cars. Memorial Park was a great spot to stop and have lunch. There are at least 2 covered picnic areas. And there are fairly decent rest rooms. The trail on the west side of Big Spirit Lake ends at an RV park. We rode around in there and realized they have awesome views of the lake. We'll try to stay here in our rig sometime.

rode from Rolfe to Rutland. We saw few people except 2 trail maintenance guys who were mowing and removing down limbs. The Des Moines River was bankfull+ so the water was very close to the bridge bottom. Nearly rode over a garter snake and a 3' bull snake who was hugging the edge of the grass line. Just a really nice trail that is maintained. The toilets were closed, though, due to Covid.

Well, I live here and it is the only safe ride away from traffic. Depending on your training and what you are looking for on a particular ride, will be what you experience. You have 5 medium to hard hills. What you do get is beautiful scenery as you ride around the lake. Be careful not ride too fast as there are quite a few walkers since it is on the edge of residential area. There are some tight and hidden turns.

Love this little trail. I run/ bike here a lot. The views from the trestle are amazing and a lot of times recently bald eagles have been sitting in the trees nearby the trestle.. lots of wildlife to be seen in general... if you happen to be in the area and need your trail fix this is worth a look. You can start at either end.

Bucolic setting and very well maintained. Flat easy ride and would be good for kids. Plenty of signs but could use some arrows on the pavement so you don’t have to stop to look. Don’t miss going to the blue bunny ice cream parlor just a few blocks off the eastern end of the trail.

I came over to Le Mars from central Iowa to ride this trail. I'd heard good things about the town and the configuration of the trail intrigued me. It appeared to connect most of the town, making it possible to bicycle to stores and other destinations, and so I wanted to check it out.

It's a nice trail. The surface is mostly concrete with one or two asphalt sections. It's very smooth and in great shape for the most part. Recent flooding along Floyd Creek appears to have created some problems. There's a missing link where the trail passes under Highway 75. There are rather ominous signs stating that the trail is closed "by police order" warning off people who would try to pass through. They worked with us. and so I can't really comment on the northermost part of the trail.

The rest of it was delightful, though. It does connect the town together. There's a spur that heads off to a Walmart Supercenter, for example. The trail also skirts the community's largest employer, the Wells Blue Bunny ice cream plant. It meanders past the local airport and ends on a county road southwest of town. There are shelters so that people can take cover if the weather turns bad.

The town of Le Mars is very nice and worth spending some time in. We ate at the Iowa BBQ Company downtown and it was fabulous. There's a bike shop in town as well. We wanted to go to the Blue Bunny visitor center but it was "temporarily" closed...I'm not sure why.

All in all, I would say this trail is a model that other small towns can emulate if they wish to make their communities more bicycle friendly. The design, though not perfect, is thoughtful. I know that the winters here can be pretty harsh, and I suspect it's mostly a seasonal resource, but if they plow it as they do similar trails up the road in Minnesota, there's no reason local residents couldn't use it all year round.

Love running on this trail. It does flood in high waters, but is worth the wait. I always run down Grand Ave and hop on the trail. Super easy access. Beautiful - definitely beats running on the town streets! The trail is well maintained in the winter and frequently plowed. Have frequently seen deer on my runs just off the trail.