Such beautiful weather! Inspired by the Polk County Conservation litter pickup event, we carried bags and looked for trash. We didn't find much, but that's probably because PCC had another litter pickup event earlier this week! I plan on carrying grocery sacks in my pockets for all our future walks. I hope to see you at Center Trails next Friday!
Join us for a walk at Sycamore Trails in Johnston! Meet by 10:00 a.m. at the gravel parking lot off of 66th Avenue, just west of the Des Moines River.
Our plan is to walk south and cut over on the levee connector. Last month we went counter-clockwise, so this time let’s try clockwise! Our distance will be 2.0 miles. If the trail is muddy, we will walk the paved trail instead. Either way, we will walk slowly, think “stroll,” and no one will be left behind. This is a fun way to meet other people and enjoy some fresh air.
Sycamore Trails are relatively flat, owing to their location along the Des Moines River. The trail is dirt singletrack, punctuated with with roots and rocks. Hiking poles are useful, but not a necessity.
Polk County Conservation is hosting a litter removal event the same date and time as our walk. We will walk our planned route, but I will bring trash bags and we can pick up what we find along the trail.
Every week or so I lead a group walk on a different trail.
My goals for this series are to help people looking for a simple way to become more active, and to increase appreciation of our local soft trails.
What is a soft trail? Simply, it is an unpaved trail. Its surface may be dirt, grass, or crushed rock/gravel. I am an avid mountain biker and know all these trails very well. I can guarantee that no one will get lost!
Our meetup spot for this walk is the gravel lot on the south side of 66th Avenue, west of the river and east of the Johnston soccer fields. GPS navigation apps are fairly reliable if you tell them to find “4640 Northwest 66th Avenue Johnston, IA, 50131.”
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Learn more about Sycamore Trails from the Central Iowa Trail Association.
