On March 13th 2023, RAGBRAI announced the full route with all the pass-through and meeting towns.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Riders from all over the world will experience the hospitality of 38 Iowa communities as they traverse the state from West to East in late July.
Five of the eight overnight towns were on the original 1973 route.
On top of the starting town of Sioux City and the seven overnight towns, an additional 30 communities that will host riders as pass through and meeting towns. This year’s pass through towns are a mix of small and large communities that have hosted riders successfully over the past fifty years.
Guinness Record?
Can RAGBRAI make their way into the Guinness Book of World Records?
RAGBRAI hopes to break the Guinness world record for the largest single-day “parade of bicycles:” 48,615, set in Udine, Italy, in 2000. RAGBRAI director, Matt Phippen estimates there could be as many as 100,000 riders on Day 4 where the official count will take place. The spot for the "official count" or the timeline has not been released yet.
World Class Trails
We often gauge how "bicycle-friendly" a world-class community is based on the number of trails they have. These 38 Iowa communities contain 77 trails with more than 900 miles of trail. That's why Iowa coined the term "Trail Capital of the World".
Although none of the "official route" is on trails, riders will be 2.6 miles from the iconic 13-story High Trestle Trail Bridge near Madrid on Day 4.
If you get a chance to check out the trails while you are in these towns, please do so! All the trails are tagged in this Feature, or click on the City links and you'll see the trails that are in/near each city.
DOUBLE-DIPPIN' WITH PHIPPEN
A unique feature of the RAGBRAI L Route is the ability to double-dip your tires twice in the Mississippi! On day 7, you'll pass through the river town of Muscatine and then head up the "Great River Road" to finish at Davenport.
SOCIAL
Here are the overnight town's Social Media links
THE FULL ROUTE
- Theme Day: Mile of Silence & Throwback Jersey Day
- Mileage: 77 miles
- Elevation: 3,504 ft.
TOWNS:
Theme Day: “I RIDE 4” Day Mileage: 62 miles Elevation: 1,818 ft. TOWNS:
Day 3: Tuesday, July 25 Carroll to Ames
- Theme Day: RAGBRAI Jersey Day
- Mileage: 83 miles
- Elevation: 1,479 ft
TOWNS:
Day 4: Wednesday, July 26 Ames to Des Moines
- Theme Day: Guinness Book of World Records
- Mileage: 50 miles
- Elevation: 1,216 ft.
TOWNS:
- Ames
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsors: Skunk River Cycles and Bike World) - Slater
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsor: Nite Hawk Bar and Grill) - Madrid
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsors: Sisters in Cheese and Flat Tire Lounge) - Polk City
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsors: Fenders Brewing and RE/MAX Concepts - Torres Team) - Ankeny – Meeting Town
(home to BIKEIOWA.com and BIKEIOWA sponsors: Firetrucker Brewery, Riding on the Edge, Whiskey River at The District, RynoVelo, Lake Country Cyclists (LCC), Fong's Pizza Ankeny, Kyle's Bikes and Trailside Tap) - Des Moines
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsors: Schuling Hitch Company, Truman's KC Pizza Tavern, El Bait Shop, Bike World, Des Moines Cycle Club (DMCC), Captain Roy's, Erik's Bike Shop, Hessen Haus, High Life Lounge, Royal Mile, Beaverdale Bicycle, The Red Monk, Christopher’s Fine Jewelry, Tshirt Graphix, The Iowa Taproom, Lederman Bail Bonds, Rita's Cantina, University Library Cafe, Miller Lite, Sully's Irish Pub, Big Cock Bike Shop, AJ's on East Court, DSM Financial and The Triangle Tap)
- Theme Day: Military Appreciation Day
- Mileage: 82 miles
- Elevation: 3,652 ft.
TOWNS:
- Des Moines
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsors: Schuling Hitch Company, Truman's KC Pizza Tavern, El Bait Shop, Bike World, Des Moines Cycle Club (DMCC), Captain Roy's, Erik's Bike Shop, Hessen Haus, High Life Lounge, Royal Mile, Beaverdale Bicycle, The Red Monk, Christopher’s Fine Jewelry, Tshirt Graphix, The Iowa Taproom, Lederman Bail Bonds, Rita's Cantina, University Library Cafe, Miller Lite, Sully's Irish Pub, Big Cock Bike Shop, AJ's on East Court, DSM Financial and The Triangle Tap)
- Altoona
- Mitchellville
- Colfax
- Newton – Meeting Town
- Kellogg
- Grinnell
(home to BIKEIOWA sponsor: Bikes to You) - Tama-Toledo
- Theme Day: College Jersey Day
- Mileage: 82 miles
- Elevation: 3,303 ft.
TOWNS:
- Theme Day: Tire Dip
- Mileage: 66 miles
- Elevation:1,604 ft
TOWNS:
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Read more about each town and route in this RAGBRAI Feature: