Oakdale Boulevard Trail

The Oakdale Boulevard Trail is a sidepath trail that runs along the north side of Oakdale Boulevard through suburban Coralville, Iowa. While most of the trail is little more than a wide sidewalk, there are long stretches of trail without road crossings where the route passes through pleasant tree-lined corridors near the roadside, providing some element of scenic remove. The trail also provides a connection between several trails in Coralville's network of multi-use pathways - on the western end, the trail intersects the excellent North Ridge Trail, and the eastern end features links to the Muddy Creek Trail and the Dovetail Recreation Trail, creating the foundation of a useful system of community recreation pathways.

Starting in the west, the trail crosses over busy Coral Ridge Avenue and passes through a research park used by the University of Iowa. The intersection with the North Ridge Trail comes just before the railroad tracks; trail users can take the longer rail-trail to head north towards North Liberty or head south to connect with the Clear Creek Trail to head east towards Iowa City. Continuing along Oakdale Boulevard, the trail leaves the commercial and industrial area to enter a more residential part of the community, with abundant foliage lining the route to provide some shade and natural surroundings.

The trail ends in the east at Dubuque Street, where a portion of the lengthy Iowa River Corridor Trail intersects the trail running north and south. Just a short distance south along this trail marks the point where the Muddy Creek meets the Iowa River, with Iowa City's Waterworks Prairie Park just across the bridge over the river - together with the Muddy Creek Trail, the Oakdale Boulevard Trail lets residents and visitors travel the entirety of the creek's route.

Parking and Trail Access

No public parking is available directly on the route of the trail, but Coralville has designated the nearby Brown Deer Golf Club as a community trailhead. The club is located at 1900 Country Club Drive off of 1st Avenue; from the club, head north a short distance on the sidepath along 1st Avenue to reach Oakdale Boulevard and the trail. Additional parking is available near the eastern end of the trail at Waterworks Prairie Park, located on Dubuque Street on the south side of the bridge over the Iowa River.