Trout Run Trail development continues in Decorah

Fri November 10 2006
Posted Nov 10, 2006
2,559

By 2009, the city of Decorah is expected to have completed a new addition to its current recreational trail system. Trout Run Trail — Decorah Loop, will provide an increased amount of recreational opportunities available to the community. The city and trail creators hope the new trail will attract visitors and escalate the area’s businesses. At completion, this trail will be a 12-mile loop around the outskirts of Decorah. The entire length of it will be paved. Nikki Brevig, Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, said this project has already been underway for the past eight to nine years but it takes at least 10 years to complete such a project. This plan is more of a continuation than the beginning of a new trail. “I am excited for the opportunities it will bring,” said Brevig. “This is a great project for the community.” “It’s cool that they’re setting up a trail because Decorah has great natural resources,” said Karin Maxey (‘07). “Decorah has a great community for making good use of its scenery.” TOW (Trails of Winneshiek County) is a group of volunteer citizens from the county that initiated this event. “Volunteers have put in hundreds of hours [to the making of the Trout Run Trail — Decorah Loop] and need to be commended,” Brevig said. The trail will go around most of the city. According to a brochure available at the Chamber of Commerce office, “The trail will also provide … access to trout streams, the Upper Iowa River, Pulpit Rock Campground, Trout Run Park, the Decorah Fish Hatchery and the business corridor in the area near the intersection of Highway 9 and Old Stage Road.” Trout Run Trail — Decorah Loop will connect to the Dug Road Trail and be a continuation of it. The Dug Road Trail is located in Decorah, along the Upper Iowa River. “It will be a lot easier,” said Amanda Cook (‘09) about the convenience of the trail. “As of now, I bike on streets and have to be so careful of the traffic.” Motorized vehicles such as scooters, mopeds, four wheelers will be prohibited and the trail will still be handicapped accessible. As the brochure states, “Trout Run Trail — Decorah Loop will create the longest paved route to a trout stream in Iowa, providing much greater access for physically challenged individuals.” Building a new paved trail is an expensive task and has been estimated at about $6 million. Though the trail has been funded through many different organizations, the bulk of the financial resources have come through state and federal grants. However, according to the brochure, by the end of July 2006, more than $750,000 had been raised privately from the community. In the future, Trout Run Trail — Decorah Loop will eventually connect to other trails in the area, including the Prairie Farmer Trail in Calmar, just 10 miles south of Decorah. The final goal is a trail system that exceeds 36 miles. Citizens of Decorah were inspired to create this trail by the city of Lanesboro and the success they have had with their paved trail. Lanesboro attracts many visitors to their area who use the recreational trail, which in turn, helps support local businesses. Decorah received a tourism grant in the hope that a new trail system would help achieve this same success. -- Mandi Smith Staff Writer If you have any questions regarding the trail, contact the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce in downtown Decorah or visit http://www.decoraharea.com/troutruntrail for more information.