Ride The Trail and Explore The Iowa Great Lakes

With over 52 miles of paved trails in Dickinson County, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy beautiful scenery and landscapes throughout the area. One trail completed this past fall was the 11.5 mile trail system that begins at the Spirit Lake trailhead near Hy-Vee and concludes within the community of Lake Park.

“It was a long process getting through the railroad purchase starting around 2006, until we made the final buy back from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 2017,” said Dickinson County Trails Director Erin Reed. “Then we got to work on rehabilitation and upgrading the nine bridges and substantial culverts, so they were ready for trail construction. Once that was all complete, we started building the trail that encompassed six phases to get to Lake Park.”

Reed said rail trails are unique in that they have a fairly flat grade and few interruptions. “The Lake Park trail is beautiful and provides a variety of views between tree-lined canopies, prairie and wetlands, river crossings and rolling farm fields,” she added. “It is such a peaceful trail, and it is great to have Lake Park connected to the entire Iowa Great Lakes Trails system.”

The trail was funded through several grants via the State and Federal Recreational Trails, the Iowa DNR REAP Fund, Okoboji Foundation and Imagine Iowa Great Lakes, as well as many generous supporters from throughout the community.

Lake Park Mayor Matt Carstensen said after the trail opened in the fall, they began to see traffic from throughout the Iowa Great Lakes, even people who rode in from Milford. He said Saturdays were their largest traffic day.

“It’s an ideal ride for many people, especially with it being fairly flat and not a lot of hills,” he added. “It’s the ideal distance to ride, take a break at the park, the Veteran’s Memorial or one of our restaurants or shops and then ride back.”

Lake Park is in the process of revamping their City Park and considering how the bike traffic affects the renovation process.

“We are considering adding a trailhead that includes restrooms, bike repair and a parking station. There is a window of possibilities down the road, and we hope to start in the next year,” he said.

Other Trails Being Added

Reed said work on new trails being added to the Dickinson County Trail System began in spring 2025, with one connecting with the Clay County Trail System. The current Clay County Trail is seven miles long and Dickinson County Trails will be adding a 4.5-mile trail that joins the two together.

“We started building our first segment of the trail (1.5 miles) in June,” she explained. “Our goal is to do the next two-mile segment yet this year and move forward with the last mile in 2026.

She said it is unique to connect so many communities in two counties and even continue north up into Minnesota. “Overall, this trail is part of the Iowa Great Lakes Connection, an Iowa trail of statewide significance, that will be over 140 miles, connect five counties, several towns, lakes and existing trails. A future goal is to be connected to Des Moines as well,” she said. “We see more and more people coming here for the trails and that is our ultimate goal, to make the Iowa Great Lakes a premier recreational trail destination.”

Nature Meets Art At PLAC

A unique project between the Dickinson County Trails and the Pearson Lakes Art Center is filled with opportunities and intertwines nature and art. The new Lakes Art Center Loop travels around the wetland on the north side of the PLAC and includes art sculptures, viewing benches and interactive pieces for families to enjoy together.

“The trail will be a destination point with the goal of sharing the joy of art, nature and outdoor recreation all in one place,” Reed shared.

The creation of the trail began in early May and was completed in late June. The new portion of the trail situates walkers and bikers amongst the age-old oak trees and connects with the existing trail that directs users towards the Dickinson County Nature Center.

This new trail has been envisioned for several years and was approved by both boards in 2024. Imagine Iowa Great Lakes has also been a part of the process and Larry Arndt is the point person for the different organizations.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to expand the PLAC campus,” said Karess Knudtson, project lead and in charge of marketing at PLAC. “The completion of the trail is the foundation for the entire project and ties our past and future together, as well as our surrounding area – Okoboji Summer Theatre, PLAC and Dickinson County Nature Center.”

In coordination with the trail board, seven new sculptures will be revealed at the grand opening on August 7. These rotating yearly sculptures will be incorporated with the existing sculptures and additional opportunities for other sculptures are possible. BEI Engineering has been assisting with the sculpture’s pedestals and bases.

“There are pockets of opportunities everywhere within this project,” said Danielle Clouse Gast, PLAC Visual Arts Director. “The sculpture trail has been one of our wish list items and allows us to expand our campus in a unique way, while also incorporating special features like built-in easels and an outdoor art studio. If it’s easy and accessible, it might make someone more likely to come and appreciate art while being outdoors.”

This spring, the art center entered a draft of over 100 sculptures and a committee narrowed their selections to seven. The selected artists come from Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Oregon.

“We tried to get a variety of media and sizes, with some more traditional and others abstract. It will be something everyone will enjoy, and we will have the opportunity to rotate a new seven into the trail every year,” Knudtson shared.

The sculptures will be installed on August 7 and will be revealed at the grand opening later that evening. Each sculpture will include a title and a QR code that lists more information about the artist and artwork, as well as be ADA accessible for participants.

“You will also have the opportunity to meet some of the artists who will share their inspiration for their creation,” Gast added.

PLAC Threshold Studio

Under the canopy of century old oak trees dreams come true! The beautiful outdoors inspires artwork for all ages, especially when the PLAC Treehouse Studio is added to the sculpture trail. 

“We have been exploring the opportunity for Treehouse Masters of Seattle, WA to design and build a unique treehouse studio within the new sculpture trail in our outdoor area here at the PLAC,” Knudtson said.

The company visited the area this past fall and was inspired by the century old oak trees and future sculpture trail. “This world-renowned company came and sat in the trees with us and was so excited about the possibilities,” said PLAC Board President Carrie Meyer. “The addition of this trail creates opportunities for families to get outside together, as well as unifies the campus of the PLAC in a unique way not found elsewhere.”

If approved, the treehouse’s main goal would be for educational purposes and be designed as a studio. Gast said it would especially allow them to showcase the Plein Air art form, “In our educational classes we touch on Plein Air art, which is capturing the outdoors through art and the Treehouse studio would create a wonderful opportunity for on-site art.”

The new PLAC trail was completed by the end of June. A grand unveiling with the new sculptures is planned for August 7. For those interested in providing funding for additional sculptures or the Treehouse, contact the PLAC at 712.332.7013 or visit lakesart.org.

“There are exciting things coming out of this partnership and we invite people to watch for developments, including fundraising opportunities,” Knudtson added. “Because we are so excited for those who stumble on the Art Center because they took a walk on the trail and go ‘Oh, wow!’ Then they want to come inside the Art Center as well.”

West Okoboji Trail

The trail board is also partnering with the City of West Okoboji to build a trail that travels directly to Terrace Park Boulevard from Jeppeson Road. This one-half mile segment will take trail traffic off the busy street route and create a leisurely ride along the south shore of West Lake Okoboji, enhancing connectivity and recreation access in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

If people are interested in donating to the trails, they can visit www.dickinsoncountytrails.com.

“There are a number of sponsorship opportunities like the trail bench program that has been a popular way to honor friends and loved ones,” Reed encouranged. “The DCTB is so grateful for support from the county, cities, local foundations and supporters. They are key to our success in applying for grants and have contributed so much to the tremendous growth of the trails system.”

This summer get on your bike and ride the trails! Head west towards Lake Park or travel north towards the North Shore. Take a leisurely walk around the PLAC Sculpture Trail. With over 52 miles of trails amongst beautiful landscapes, your scenery can change every day!