Des Moines River Water Trail

Grants from the DNR and County Conservation boards could fund improvements to the existing water trail 
Read a letter about the trail, celebrating 10,000 years of wilderness
Home Page Kayaking   Additional trail information Latitude and Longitude
      (Directions, miles)  
Access Name Near Waypoints/ Obstacles Road/Route Facilities
4th St. Bridge Estherville River Mile 404 4th St. Hard surface ramp, Parking, mostly just a field
Peterson Wallingford   A34 Hard surface ramp, Parking, Trash can, Well-kept
  Graettinger Bridge B14  
Basswood Emmetsburg   Hwy. 18 Hard surface ramp, Parking
Mulroney Rodman   just N. of B55 Hard surface ramp, Parking, camping possible
River Runner  West Bend   gravel road off B63 Hard surface ramp, Parking, Camping
Willow Bradgate   C26 Hard surface ramp, Parking, back in the woods
  Rutland Utility Dam P33 Grassy incline, dirt portage road, Camping, Chemical toilet
Joe Sheldon Humboldt   Hwy 3 Hard surface ramp, Parking, Full-service Camping across the road
Humboldt Dam Ramp Humboldt   Just off Hwy. 169 Hard surface ramp, portage road, Park facilities
Gotch Park  Humboldt   Off Hwy. 169 Hard surface ramp, Full service camping, even hot showers
Deer Creek access Ft. Dodge   Off Hwy. 169, 1 mile N of C66 Grassy carry down
Hydro Dam Ramp Ft. Dodge River mile 314 Off  NW 3rd Hard surface ramp, portage road, Park facilities
  Ft. Dodge Low head dam Off Bus. 20 There is a new ramp on the W. side, under the high trestle
Dolliver State Park Lehigh   Hwy. 50 Hard surface ramp, Full service camping, Parking
Deception Hollow Lehigh   Hwy. 50 to Sampson Rd. State Park, rough terrain, hard surface boat ramp
-- Stratford Bridge D54  
Skillet Recreation Stratford   Hwy. 175, 1 mile north of the bridge Gravel ramp
Carlson Recreation Dayton   Hwy. 175 Grassy incline, Camping, Chemical toilet
Fraser Dam Fraser Full Service camping by the north access E26 Hard surface ramp, access road, hard surface ramp just above and below the dam, limited parking
Boone Waterworks Boone lowhead dam At the E26 Bridge N. of Boone Hard surface ramp, rough road
Boone Hwy. 30 Boone   Hwy. 30 Hard surface ramp, lots of parking
  Moingona Ledges  State Park Grassy incline, Camping, Chemical toilet
E57 Luther   E57 Hard surface ramp
Sportsman's Access Luther   E57 Hard surface ramp
Laurie Madrid   Hwy. 210 Hard surface ramp, lots of parking
Woodward sub-1 Woodward   130th Court about 2 miles east
of Woodward
Hard surface ramp, large parking lot
Jester Park Saylorville   Hwy. 415 Hard surface ramp, lots of parking, camping and full facilities nearby
Saylorville Dam Polk City River Mile 213 Hwy 415 Take out point on W. side of the dam
Cottonwood Saylorville   Off 415 Sandy incline by observation deck, parking, toilets
  Des Moines Bridge I-80  
Prospect Park access Des Moines   ML King to Prospect Rd. Hard surface ramp, all park amenities
Birdland Marina Des Moines   Pennsylvania Ave. Hard surface ramp, lots of parking, full facilities nearby
Drowning danger Dangerous dams at Center St. and Scott Ave., do not attempt  
Harriet St. Des Moines Needs cleaning SE 14th St. Hard surface ramp, some parking, rough area
  Pleasant Hill Bridge New Hwy. 65 Pass by the DSM wastewater treatment plant
Yellow Banks Carlisle   Vandalia Rd. Hard surface ramp, some parking, steep road
Hartford Hartford   Hwy. 5 Hard surface ramp, some parking, dirt roads that are prone to flooding, camping possible
Runnels Bridge Access Runnels   Hwy. 316 bridge Near Webb Camping
Bennington
Runnells   Off F70, 117th St. Hard surface ramp, parking, camping
Boxcars Red Rock   Off F70, W. 93rd, Carpenter, 68th Hard surface ramp, some parking, dirt roads that are prone to flooding, camping possible
  Elk Rock Park Mile Long Bridge Hwy. 14  
South Access Red Rock dam   T15 Hard surface ramp, parking, toilets, camping in abundance, watch out for party barges
Howell Station Red Rock River Mile141 T15 Hard surface ramp, parking, toilets, camping in abundance, long term parking, check with ranger
  Tracy Bridge Hwy. 92  
Eveland Bussey   T39 Hard surface ramp, parking, toilets, camping in abundance, 
Hard Fish Eddyville   Hwy. 137 Hard surface ramp, some parking, gravel road
  Chillicothe Bridge Hwy 63
 
Black Hawk Ottumwa   Hwy. 63 Hard surface ramp, some parking, near convenience stores
Coliseum Ottumwa River Mile 94 Hwy. 34 Hard surface ramp, some parking, near convenience stores
Cliffland Ottumwa   Old Agency Rd. Hard surface boat ramp, camping, parking
Eldon Eldon   Hwy 16
Hard surface boat ramp
Shidepoke Selma   Hwy. 16 Hard surface ramp, some parking, camping
Douds access Douds   V64 Hard surface, parking
Austin Park Pittsburg Bridge J40 Hard surface ramp, some parking, camping
Keosauqua Keosauqua   Hwy. 1 Hard surface ramp, some parking, convenience stores and restaurants, hotel
Bentonsport Historic District   J40 Hard surface ramp, parking, camping, fudge
Bonaparte Historic District   J40
Boat ramp, parking above rapids, rocky bank allows walk around
Van Buren Farmington   J40, Eagle Dr.
Hard surface ramp, parking, camping
Farmington Farmington   Hwy. 2
Hard surface ramp, parking,
Turkey Run Argyle   Hwy 394, Belfast Rd., 
Hard surface ramp, parking, camping
Ft. Pike St. Francisville   Hwy. 394 Hard surface ramp, parking, camping, convenience store
Redwing Keokuk   Hwy 61
Hard surface ramp, parking, camping