National Trails Day is Saturday, June 6. Celebrate with us at Sycamore Trails.

• 3.1-Mile (5K) Hike led by Roccasecca Fitness
• 1-Mile Stroll led by Roccasecca Fitness
• 5–8 Mile Trail Run led by Capital Striders Turkeys
• No-Drop Mountain Bike Ride led by Central Iowa Trail Association

Trash Pickup — bags provided

It was nice and shady in the woods, and there was only the sound of us and the birds. Eagle-eye Dave saw spiders, deer, and more. Thank you for coming. See you June 6th at National Trails Day at Sycamore!

Too wet trails are always a disappointment. Thank you for showing up and exploring the roads and grassy areas in and around the park. There is always something to see!

Let’s check out some recent trail work at Center Trails in Des Moines. Meet in the Ashworth Pool parking lot at the end of 45th Street by 10:00 a.m.

We will head north on 45th Street. We will join the dirt trail where it crosses the road that leads up to the academy. We’ll stroll down behind the pool, check out the old paved trail that leads up the hill, and admire the dirt trail reconstruction CITA did in March. Then we’ll continue on the Hillside Trail and come back down on Phil’s Folly for a total of 1.5 miles.

Let’s visit the Ewing Park lilacs! Meet by 10:00 a.m. in our usual Ashley Okland Star Playground parking lot on south side of McKinley, just west of Indianola Avenue.

We’ll start on a dirt trail and take the bridge over to the other side of the soapbox derby track. There we’ll get a little taste of our usual trails along the creek. Then we will come out of the woods through part of the disc golf course. We will see the lilacs as we climb to the top of the hill on the Harry Piper Parkway and meander back down the hill on the grass. Finally we’ll cross back over the creek to the lot. This will total about 2 miles.

Join us for a stroll through the woods of Southwoods Park. The driveway for this park is just off 35th Street, across from the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center. Meet by 10:00 a.m. in the disc golf course parking lot.

We will walk up the paved trail from the lot to the singletrack. We turn right and keep turning right so that we walk the entire outer loop and the spur that goes behind the police station to the skills area. This route is about 1.5 miles.

It’s time to return to Banner! It’s a bit of a drive down to Banner Lakes, but the uniqueness of this trail should make it worthwhile. From Hwy 69, turn east on Elk Horn Avenue. Then immediately turn right into the park. Drive until you reach the only T-intersection in the park. Right here is the third lot in and it has a boat ramp. We will leave from there at 10:00 a.m.

Our walk will use some road, but will be primarily a tour of the trail named Coal Miner’s Daughter. The total mileage will be about 2.7 miles.

Join us for fun on the Rollercoaster (Trail) at Center Trails in Des Moines. Meet in the Ashworth Pool parking lot at the end of 45th Street by 10:00 a.m.

We will head south on the paved Bill Riley Trail to the dirt entrance and hike north on Rollercoaster to the lagoon where we have the option of making a quick lap before we return to the lot.

It was a bit cloudy and chilly, but not bad. Bev got to see Southwoods for the first time. Let's home for sunnier weather and a bigger group Tuesday the 7th at Center Trails.

That was a long stroll! But we got to see the famous brick piles! Thank you all for coming. I had a great time and hope you did too.

Sorry, today's walk is cancelled as a result of me being sick. I'm sorry.

All the fat bikers created a nice trail for DeeDee and I to hike. It was nice and firm. We saw coyotes, a partially frozen Walnut Creek, and all sorts of snow-covered everything. We simply forgot to take a picture of ourselves. Let's remember that at our next stroll, March 3rd at Grandview.

Very brown and tan, but we saw the river, cool fungus, hornets nest, and possum! We had to walk flat footed on sections of the low trail that were muddy due to freeze/thaw, but overall a great February stroll.

Fourmile Mountain Bike Park is “a soft surface trail system oriented towards recreational mountain biking, hiking, trail running, and groomed trails for winter fat biking” in the wooded land north of Copper Creek Lake. Park in the gravel lot along Washington Avenue (no sign) off Williams Street. We will leave from there at 10:00 a.m.

We will head north on old 42nd and enter the trail system. We will turn right and take the trail to the other side of the creek. Then we will hike up and down the Against the Current trail and return around the outer loop (Hydro). I estimate the total mileage will be about 2.1 miles.

DeeDee and I agreed to let Dave set the pace today. Quite brisk—both the pace and the weather! But we made it. Let's hope February 3rd at Fourmile is a little nicer!

UPDATE SATURDAY 7:30 AM: Upon further review of the weather (and input from participants) this stroll is canceled due to bitter wind chills.

Let’s visit the South Sycamore Trails! The trailhead is in the parking lot of the Polk County River Place building at 2309 Euclid Ave, in Des Moines. Meet by 10:00 a.m. at the large trail map in the southeast corner of the lot.

We will head north and take the left fork onto the Owl Trail. We will loop around the Jason Walker Raceway and return. It will be about 1.8 miles.

Thank you for showing up for a brisk stroll! The trails were in really great shape—nicely frozen without being icy. Let's hope we get just good conditions next Tuesday at Sycamore South.

Thanks for putting up with the ice today. At least the weather and company were good! Maybe we'll get dry trails on the 30th as we stroll at Center Trails?

Let’s return to Grandview Park. It is a 60-acre park with several parking lots. Park along East 32nd Street just north of Guthrie Avenue. We will leave from there at 10:00 a.m.

Our walk will use the Grandview Nature Trail and paved roads in the park to make a loop. The loop is about 1.7 miles.

Fourmile Mountain Bike Park is “a soft surface trail system oriented towards recreational mountain biking, hiking, trail running, and groomed trails for winter fat biking” in the wooded land north of Copper Creek Lake. Park in the gravel lot along Washington Avenue (no sign) off Williams Street. We will leave from there at 10:00 a.m.

We will head north on old 42nd and enter the trail system. We will turn right and take the trail to the other side of the creek. Then we will hike up and down the Against the Current trail and return around the outer loop (Hydro). I estimate the total mileage will be about 2.1 miles.

Let’s head to Ewing Park again and try to break our muddy trail curse. Meet by 10:00 a.m. in the Ashley Okland Star Playground parking lot on south side of McKinley, just west of Indianola Avenue.

We’ll hike around to the other side of the soapbox derby track. There we’ll go up Trail 4 and down Trail 1. Then we’ll come back over the track. This should be about two miles.

Join us for a longer walk at Denman Woods. This flat trail is south of Center Trails in Des Moines. Park along the south side of North Valley Drive west of the bridge over Walnut Creek. Meet by 10:00 at the west end of the bridge.

This time we will take the outer loop. That means the route will be about a mile longer than is typical for our strolls. It also means we’ll get to see new sights!

The walk will use the paved Levee Trail for 1/3 mile to get to the trail entrance. The outer loop of Denman Woods is just under three miles. The return on the paved trail makes the total 3.4 miles.

Wow. The weather and colors were perfect. And the people pretty dang awesome also. Thank you for coming out. I hope to see you on the 15th for a long hike through flat Denman Woods.

Thank you for coming out! I am so glad we got to walk the trail. I can't wait to explore more with you.

Join us for a stroll through the woods of Southwoods Park. The driveway for this park is just off 35th Street, across from the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center. Meet by 10:00 a.m. in the disc golf course parking lot.

We will walk up the paved trail from the lot to the singletrack. We will go around the hill clockwise and double back to walk it counter-clockwise. This route is about 1.5 miles.

Beautiful fall day! Too bad the recent rain made the dirt trail muddy. Thanks for exploring the paved trail with me. Let's hope it's dry Saturday the 18th at Southwoods.

Thanks for coming to one of my new favorite parks, and for trying to point to your favorite spots on the map. lol. I like the "north mixmaster." See you next week at my original favorite park: Sycamore North.

Thanks for coming out to check my mowing of Trail B, too bad it was muddy. lol I really did have fun exploring those other trails though. :-)

Thank you for braving the acorns with me! A bit humid, but otherwise a great day for a hike. I hope to see everyone again next week at Ewing.