A stretch of the Maquoketa River in northeast Iowa’s Delaware County is being designated as the newest of the state’s three-dozen-plus Water Trails, which now extend more than 1,500 miles.
The lower half of the waterway is the latest segment being added to what’s known as the Maquoketa River Water Trail.
Kayla Lyon, director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, attended this week’s dedication ceremony at Bailey’s Ford Park south of Manchester.
“Our job is to get people outside, right? And finding fun, safe activities for people, and we’re designating a new section of the Maquoketa River as a Water Trail,” Lyon says. “So that means that those who want to go out and experience the water on the river have access, they can have a plan, there are maps to help people do that in a safe and fun way.”
John Wenck, the DNR’s Water Trails coordinator, explains what it means to earn this designation.
“The trail’s already there. It’s all about getting on and off the river, so improvements to river access so people can get on and enjoy the river, but it’s broader than that, too,” Wenck says. “It’s connecting people, whether it’s the local folks in the area or people that travel to the river, connecting them to the resource.”
This latest Maquoketa River Water Trail designation extends from Bailey’s Ford to the southern Delaware County line, about 22 and a half miles. The upper stretch from Backbone State Park to Bailey’s Ford, which is about 20 miles, was designated in 2018.
Wenck says that means Delaware County’s Water Trail designation is now complete, though he recognizes that not everyone will want to take out a kayak or canoe.
“Some people like rivers, but they don’t like to get on the rivers, but they can learn about the rivers,” Wenck says. “They can learn the history of the rivers, they can learn about the geology, the archaeology, rivers were used hundreds of years by humans. So it’s a great way to connect in multiple areas.”
Donna Boss, director of Delaware County Economic Development, says the Water Trail designations will help to draw even more visitors.
“The number of people that come into Delaware County to utilize not only the Whitewater Park in Manchester, but our Water Trail system from Backbone all the way down to past Hopkinton and being able to keep going,” Boss says. “I don’t think people understand the number of people that come to our beautiful county to utilize our county park system.”
This marks the 37th Water Trail designation in Iowa.
