The Ankeny Brief
Here's Ankeny's quiet superpower: three of central Iowa's marquee paved trails - the High Trestle, the Gay Lea Wilson, and the Neal Smith - all come together right here. From one town you can ride to a glowing half-mile bridge over the Des Moines River, out to Saylorville Lake, or south into the metro, all car-free. Here's the map in plain English.
Ankeny is a trail hub. The High Trestle Trail runs ~25 paved miles west to Woodward (past the famous lit High Trestle Bridge); the Gay Lea Wilson Trail heads south toward Pleasant Hill and Altoona; the Neal Smith Trail follows the river up to Saylorville Lake and Big Creek. The Oralabor Gateway connector bridge ties all three together in town. Everything's paved.
That connector matters more than it sounds: a bridge across Oralabor Road stitches the High Trestle, Gay Lea Wilson and Neal Smith trails into one continuous system inside Ankeny - so you can start from town and reach any of the three without loading a bike on the car.
The High Trestle Bridge near Madrid is the trail's showpiece - a half-mile former railroad crossing high over the Des Moines River valley, wrapped in a blue steel art installation that glows after dark. It's a genuine destination ride straight from Ankeny. Riding out in the evening to catch the bridge lit up is a rite of passage around here (bring lights).
You don't have to go 25 miles. The Prairie Trail development and Ankeny's greenway system add paved neighborhood paths that connect parks, ponds and schools - perfect for a stroller walk, a kid's first ride, or a quick after-dinner loop that never touches a road.
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The High Trestle Trail. The High Trestle Bridge sits between Madrid and Woodward, about 25 paved miles west of the Ankeny trailhead, and is lit blue at night.
Yes - the Neal Smith Trail follows the Des Moines River from the Ankeny area up to Saylorville Lake and Big Creek State Park.
Absolutely. All three main trails are hard-surfaced and flat-to-gentle, so they work for walking, running, strollers and skates as well as bikes.
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