One of my favorite things about the Quad Cites is that you are only a 10 minute drive from the grocery store, entertainment, or beautiful parks and trails. Once spring starts to bleed more into a “summer” feel, I ooze with excitement is I know I am going to be able to experience some of my favorite walking trails in Bettendorf. Because of this, I wanted to share a few of my favorite walking and biking paths with you today to help yourself, your family, and others take advantage of the wonderful areas we have for recreational physical activity. Not to mention that many of these trails offer differing views of nature, making it fresh and rejuvenating after coming out of our typical Quad Cities winter.
My Top Choices
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the walking paths and bike trails that Bettendorf, Iowa has to offer. This is just a snapshot, listing my top 3 favorite places to enjoy some physical activity in the wonderful Iowa air. The 3 walking paths in Bettendorf that we will be looking at are:
- Leach Park Trail
- Crow Creek Park Trail
- Duck Creek Parkway Trail
Top 3 Walking Paths in Bettendorf, Iowa
Leach Park Trail
If you are a trailer who enjoys the idea of spending your walk or ride next to the mighty Mississippi, then the Leach Park trail is for you. Located down by the river, near downtown Bettendorf, Leach park offers a .25 mile distance, offering a great view of the i-74 bridge, and all of passing boats nearby. In addition, Leach Park runs near the Riverfront Trail, which spans nearly the entire river area of Davenport and Bettendorf. One of my favorite things about the Leach Park trail, is that there is a small overlook area where you can go out onto, being as close to the water as you can be (without needing a swimsuit.) In addition to a safe and pretty place to walk, it offers a great venue to enjoy a healthy picnic or social time with friends, as there are numerous Gazebos and park benches in the area. The only bad thing about this area, from my experience, is the large amount of goose poop that plagues the paths. If you are planning a trip down to Leach Park to walk, ride, or enjoy the day, make sure you wear some shoes you don’t mind getting dirty!
Crow Creek Park Trail
The crow creek park trail is located off of Devils Glen Rd. offering an immersive walking and biking experience through numerous trees and wildlife area. To find this path, you need to drive right by the dog park, and follow the road all the way back to a large pond area. From there, you can spend time getting lost in the feeling of nature on the trail, or enjoy some time fishing and hearing the splashes at the quarry pond. The quarry pond is by far my favorite part of this trail, offering a large dock leading out onto the water for fishing, socializing, and being at peace in nature. If you follow the path past the quarry area, you will find yourself coming into contact with middle road, offering a more urban view to the trail. This walking trail in Bettendorf, Iowa, offers a reasonable distance at 1.4 miles to become surrounded by nature for a brief period and get a great workout or scenic walk in, in the meantime.
Duck Creek Parkway Trail
Last, but certainly not least, is the daunting 14.8 mile duck creek parkway trail in Bettendorf. This is my favorite trail, offering numerous opportunities to be surrounded by the trees and birds, in addition to seeing the beautiful residential neighborhoods in Bettendorf. I typically start my time on this trail in at the Bettendorf lagoon, as this offers a no-conflict place to park my car before I head off. The great thing about this trail is that there are SO MANY different venues that you will come across. At one point you will be surrounded by trees and a small creek, next you will be next to the gorgeous duck creek golf course, then you may come across some children playing at a local park, and finish with a great view of the Bettendorf housing styles and architecture.Don’t let the long distance of the trail to perturb you from trying it out. I often set a time limit on my phone, and start walking, simply retreating to my starting position when I get half way there. If you aren’t busy this weekend, please try this trail out! You won’t regret it.
There are SO many wonderful trails for walking, biking, and enjoying the spring and summer months in Bettendorf, Iowa. I hope you try out some of these, and explore the many options our great town has to offer. Good luck, and happy trailing!
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