The High Trestle Trail Bridge in central Iowa

© Kelly van Dellen/Getty Images Plu

Take a hike for Trails Day. Hiking the High Trestle Trail

The unique 130-foot-tall bridge you see here is just a small part of a longer 25-mile trail that connects five small towns in central Iowa. The High Trestle Trail is a rail trail—a decommissioned railroad track that’s been turned into a multiuse trail—and it follows the path of an old Union Pacific Railroad freight line. The rail-to-trail movement began in the 1960s when many railroad tracks began to be removed and people noted that the relatively flat rail corridors were perfect for hiking and biking trails. We can now enjoy thousands of miles of rail trails throughout the US. So today, on National Trails Day, find a trail near you and get outside to celebrate.