The Hoover Nature Trail is a crushed limestone rail trail

Rail trail

A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...

 in eastern Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

 that follows the old Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad

The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...

 route between Burlington

Burlington, Iowa

Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...

 and Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...

. The trail is a shared-use trail for bicycling, hiking, jogging, walking, cross-country skiing, and nature study.

Portions of the trail are in varying stages of development, with sections near Ely

Ely, Iowa

Ely is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,149 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ely is located at ....

, West Branch

West Branch, Iowa

West Branch is a city in Cedar and Johnson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 2,342 as of July 2009, a 7% growth since the 2000 census...

, Nichols

Nichols, Iowa

Nichols is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 374 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Nichols is located at ....

, Columbus Junction

Columbus Junction, Iowa

Columbus Junction is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,900 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....

 and Morning Sun

Morning Sun, Iowa

Morning Sun is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 872 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Morning Sun is located at ....

 completed. In 1990, a three-mile (4.8 km) section opened east of Morning Sun. There has been a renewed push lately to connect the HNT with other trails in eastern Iowa.

The trail is part of the American Discovery Trail

American Discovery Trail

The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...

and when completed, the HNT will become Iowa’s longest recreational trail.

External links

• Iowa by Trail: Hoover Nature Trail