Running River Trail System (Riverside Park)

Iowa

3 Reviews

Muscatine’s Running River Trail System offers paved and unpaved routes crossing the riverside city. One of the most beloved segments sits right on the water’s edge: The Riverside Trail is 5.3 miles of paved pathway that brings Muscatine residents to the Mississippi River and through several city parks.

On the southern end, this section of trail begins at Musser Park and heads north-east right on the right on the river bank. Expansive river views are the order of the day as one rides through the aptly named Riverside Park. Within the park, the trail is flanked by a row of streetlamps that allow users to safely use the trail at night. The park is also the best place to view the Norbert F. Beckey Bridge, with its nightly display of multicolored LEDs reflecting off the water’s surface. The park also features a splash pad, children’s playground and a boat launch.

Past the boat launch, the trail crosses over the other side of the tracks and pulls away from the river, venturing into the nearby neighborhoods. After paralleling the train tracks for the previous 4 miles, the trail makes a sharp left turn crossing State Route 22 and into the historic Weed Park, a lively place with lots for families to experience. Kids can go fishing at the Muscatine Aquatic Center, see waterfowl on the three-acre lagoon and roam through the Zoo Garden, which commemorates the zoo that once occupied part of this site until 1980. There’s also playgrounds, picnic shelters, tennis courts and volleyball fields.

After another at-grade crossing, this time on Colorado road, the paved pathway curves around the Muscatine Community College, with a spur jutting west to the Muscatine Mall. The conclusion of the trail can be found east of the campus, on Solomon Avenue.

Just south of this trail is another segment of the Running River Trails System known as the Kent-Stein to Deep Lakes Park trail.

Parking and Trail Access

Parking can be found in Weed Park (1 Park Dr.) and Riverside Park on Harbor Drive.

enjoyable

May 2022 frank.figueroa7044

Not that much shaded areas but it was a good time.. very windy at times cause it’s next to the river.

Great riverside trail

September 2020 andrewelectric

I love how the views on this trail vary from surrounded by woods on the north end, to going through quiet residential areas in the middle, and then the historic downtown and finally along the Mississippi River levee with a nice high view of the river and surrounding area. I've biked or walked on this trail many time and it's always a great place to be. The trail is asphalt and well maintained.

excellent bike trail

June 2020 jason.marshall

Great ride and views of the Mississippi River. Highly recommended.

Discovering America: Reconnecting People and Places

The Great American Rail-Trail promises an all-new American experience. Through 12 states and the District of Columbia, the trail will directly serve nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. Across the nation—and the world—only the limits of imagination will limit its use.

Learn More