Recreation Trails

Council Bluffs is home to a 36-mile continuous system of trails! The paved system is made up of 10 foot wide poured concrete and asphalt trails, with bike lanes used to link certain points of the trail together.

Bike Trail-Big Lake Park

2010 Council Bluffs Trail Map

Lewis & Clark Trail Study Survey

The Iowa Department of Transportation, and a consulting team led by RDG Planning & Design of Des Moines and Alta Planning + Design of Portland, are developing a master plan for a multi-use trail that generally follows the route of Lewis and Clark as they explored the Missouri River in Western Iowa. We believe that this trail can provide a great resource for a new generation of people wishing to explore this scenic and historic part of our state. A few minutes of your time used to complete the following survey will help us develop a master plan that can take full advantage of the trail's potential.

Lewis & Clark Trail Survey

Trails lead throughout the city, and includes the New Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that was opened September 28, 2008.

Click here to download the Metro Trails Map.

Recreation Trails and the Parks "New Trails"

There are many entrances to the trails throughout the city parks system. Look for three new segments of trails to open in 2010, the Mid-City Trail North of Broadway, along North 13th Street to the Avenue G Viaduct and the New Valley View Roadway construction from Highway 6 to College Road will have a new trail portion that will connect the existing Valley View trail at College Road and Indian Hills Road. The Iowa Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Nebraska Department of Transportation will be openinig up the New Veterans Memorial Bridge which includes a trail over the Missouri River connecting trails on both sides of the river. This will complete a 5 mile Veterans Memorial Trail from the Missouri River to East Manawa Drive.

From the north, the trail flows from Big Lake Park to N. 25th Street, then follows the Missouri River levee onto the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, past the Dodge Riverside Golf Course to the Western Historic Trails Center. A tour of this section offers stunning views of the river and Omaha's riverfront development, along with a ride over the Missouri River into downtown Omaha.

The trail continues east and south through the Council Bluffs Recreation Complex and through Lake Manawa State Park. Paralleling Mosquito Creek, the trail heads east to the Iowa West Foundation Trail Head Park (aka Wabash Trace), through the Iowa School for the Deaf Nature Area, and along Valley View Drive to Valley View Park, where it turns into a bike lane and then into the Valley View Greenway Trail to McPherson Avenue, then heads north to Iowa Western Community College.

Click here to reach the THOR website.

THOR maintains the mountain bike trail at Lewis and Clark Monument and Scenic Overlook.