The Ankeny Brief
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, good 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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Ankeny sits at the junction of three major paved regional trails: the High Trestle Trail (about 25 miles west to Woodward, home of the famous lit High Trestle Bridge), the Gay Lea Wilson Trail (connecting Ankeny south toward Pleasant Hill and Altoona), and the Neal Smith Trail (running along the Des Moines River up to Saylorville Lake and Big Creek State Park). An Oralabor Gateway connector bridge ties all three together inside Ankeny.
Yes. The High Trestle Trail begins near SE Oralabor Road in Ankeny and runs about 25 paved miles to Woodward. The landmark High Trestle Bridge, a half-mile former railroad crossing over the Des Moines River valley near Madrid, lit up with a blue art installation at night, sits along the way and is a popular destination ride from Ankeny.
Yes. The High Trestle, Gay Lea Wilson and Neal Smith trails are all hard-surfaced (asphalt/concrete), so they're suitable for road bikes, hybrids, strollers, inline skates and walking. The Prairie Trail development and city greenways add paved neighborhood paths that feed into the regional network.
The Neal Smith Trail follows the Des Moines River and connects Ankeny north to Saylorville Lake and Big Creek State Park, and south toward downtown Des Moines. It's one of the anchors of the central-Iowa trail system that meets in Ankeny.
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