Since 1995, people have used a 14-mile long portion of a former railroad as an exercise trail. It runs from Vinton, through Garrison, on to Dysart.
It’s called the Old Creamery Nature Trail, and its midpoint is the site of the former creamery in Garrison. A group of volunteers managed and maintained the trail for 15 years. They donated it 10 years ago to Benton County Conservation, so it would be eligible for more grants. There’s still an active group of volunteers who help maintain the trail.
“People really enjoy the trail, it’s probably, in my opinion, it’s the best-kept secret in the county, if not the state, and especially in recent months we’ve seen trail activity really increase,” Randy Scheel, Old Creamery Nature Trail chairman, said. “It gives people a reason to get out, but it also brings people in a very positive way through Vinton.”
Now, people are working on building a bike fix-station and rest stop at the trail’s halfway point. The mostly-flat, gravel-surfaced trail has 13 bridges and 20 bluebird houses.