Posts by erin

SPIRIT LAKE 4th GRADE BRAWL Seventy-seven Spirit Lake 4th graders, with 26 family members helping along the way, spent the last day of school on May 19 participating in the 9th annual BRAWL (Bike Ride Along West Lake). Spirit Lake PE teacher and ride organizer Tim O’Hagan explained what the day entails and how special Read More »

2023 TRAIL PROJECTS GET ROLLING Now that the weather is warming up, trail projects around the Iowa Great Lakes are getting into gear. Maintenance work will start in the next week that  involves crack sealing and surface preservation on the Spine Trail beginning at the south end of Milford and going north through Henderson Woods Read More »

DCTB 2023 TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PLAN In 2023, the development of Tatanka Ska Trace will continue with the last segment that will connect Lake Park to the entire Iowa Great Lakes Trails system. The trail will start in Montgomery, go west 2.5 miles and connect at 170th Avenue with Phase IV(c) where it continues into Lake Read More »

BIKING IN PURSUIT OF COFFEE & DONUTS   Steve Nelson shares the story behind a bench the family recently purchased in honor of their dad and his neighbor who found a passion for biking through their quest for coffee and donuts. “Dave Nelson and Bob Kline were retired neighbors in Monarch Cove when they decided Read More »

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING TRAILS The cold and snow can limit opportunities to get on our bikes and enjoy the trails, however, we are fortunate to have great cross country skiing trails in the Iowa Great Lakes to enjoy during the winter months. Groomed trails are available at Brooks Golf Course up to the Dickinson County Read More »

BROOKS-NATURE CENTER TRAIL: Brooks was groomed with classic tracks on Sunday (1/29/23) and will be groomed with a skate ski lane on Monday (1/30/23). Conditions are excellent from the Clubhouse at Brooks to the Nature Center. KETTLESON HOGSBACK TRAIL: The trail was freshly groomed with classic tracks on Sunday (1/29/23) and conditions are excellent!

Cross Country Update BROOKS-NATURE CENTER TRAIL: Classic tracks were set on Sunday, December 18 and conditions are very good for both classic and skate skiing. KETTLESON HOGSBACK TRAIL: Hogsback has now been groomed and conditions are great there too with a good snow base that should last for the season.

BROOKS-NATURE CENTER TRAIL: It’s been a wild ride with the ever-changing snow conditions we’ve had in the last week but we are sitting in really good shape with a solid ski base being established all the way from Brooks Clubhouse to the Nature Center. So you can access from either place and expect good snow Read More »

BETSY’S BENCH STORY Erick Hovey recently purchased a bench in memory of his wife Elizabeth “Betsy” Rose (Hostert) Hovey and he shared the story of their time here in the Iowa Great Lakes. “Betsy first visited the Lakes area with me in 1988. She was an avid hiker and cyclist and through the 1990’s she Read More »