As we move from late spring to early summer, it is time for an annual What's The Frequency show that touches on recreation pieces in Siouxland. Last year I heard from people using all the new pieces of the Missouri Riverfront Trail in Sioux City, which was an amazing amount of fun.
I well remember a young man from Ida Grove, Iowa, who was a history and recreation buff.
For this show, I journeyed northeast to the Okoboji Lakes Area and Dickinson County, for a look at the most extensive miles of biking options in our area, with 55 miles of a paved trail.
The Dickinson County Trails Board has done extensive work in landing state and federal grants and a substantial amount of fundraising to put that all together over the last 35 years.
You will hear Erin Reed, executive director of the Dickinson County Trails Board, describe why such outdoor trails are important for the area, as people from many counties away come to use those trails, which wind through many towns and pretty nature areas.
Reed also contends that the return on the investment on rec trails is manyfold, in terms of helping the wellbeing of users and making them more healthy. Last year, the trail had 425,000 users, as usage has exploded since the 2020 pandemic pushed people outside.
I started by going to the Tatanka Ska Trace Trailhead in Spirit Lake, where Mike Ahlers stopped from biking to chat.
Northwest Iowa people are also working towards a five-county trail running south from Dickinson County and then through Clay, Buena Vista, Sac and then Carroll counties. That combined trail could be about 135 miles.
A special challenge will involve the segment from Spencer through Storm Lake to Early. The proposed route could run along Highway 71.
Lance Wilhelm, of Sac City, is part of a Sac County Trails group, which is looking into ways to extend existing recreational trails in Sac City to Lake View, where the Sauk Rail Trail from Carroll ends. Other possibilities being discussed are trial links to Early, and perhaps to Auburn near Iowa Highway 175.
*Click on the audio link above to hear the entire show.
What's The Frequency, Episode 109.
