The Decorah Park and Recreation Department and the City of Decorah have partnered to establish the Carlson Park Trail Development Fund, a special project fund held with the Winneshiek County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. The fund will support the development of bike-optimized trails and amenities for all abilities within the park.
In 2019, the Dave and Rick Carlson families donated 110 acres of land to the City of Decorah to create Carlson Park. A formal planning process was completed in 2021 with the JL Bruce Company, the City of Decorah and much public input.