If you decide to take an adventurous trip across the nation, all you need is a bike. You can start in Marshalltown and bike to the state of Washington or Washington D.C. But how would you get there?

In 2022, there was an announcement of a national trail system. The 3,700-mile route for The Great American Rail Trail starts in Washington, D.C., and ends in La Push, Washington. All you must do is start at the Ann Keyser trailhead at 513 Wilson Circle in Marshalltown.

Which way are you going? The Iowa River’s Edge Trail takes you to the East Coast of the United States of America. The Linn Creek Trail towards Grimes Farm takes you to the West Coast of the United States of America.

This trail spans twelve states across the nation and is 54 percent complete. Marshalltown and Marshall County are pieces of this national trail. Two trails created for residents and visitors will be a connector to the rest of the United States.

What an exciting reason to embrace trails and the future economic impact of trail users in the future. Next time you are on the trail you may see someone biking across the United States.

Support the Marshalltown nonprofit, Trails Inc., and their efforts to continue the Iowa River’s Edge Trail. https://trailsinc.org/. For more information and a map about The Great American Rail Trail, check out https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/.