Updated map follows historic trail

Mon November 05 2007
Posted Nov 5, 2007
5,260

NICOLE WEIS, Staff Writer 11/05/2007 Whether traveling by land, air or water, it's best to drive with directions and a map. For those who travel by two wheels, an updated route map is available for the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail that runs through Hamburg, Council Bluffs and Onawa. The Adventure Cycling Association, based in Montana, is providing the maps free of charge to libraries, bicycle clubs and bike shops along the 4,675-mile route that travels up the western edge of Iowa with the help of a grant from the National Park Service. "Our mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle," said Julie Emnett, spokeswoman for Adventure Cycling Association, "so they can explore the landscape for fitness, fun and self-discovery." A non-profit organization, Adventure Cycling Association is a bicycle travel group with more than 42,000 members in the United State, 422 in Iowa. Its routes and maps cover more than 36,000 mapped miles from coast-to-coast. The Lewis and Clark Trail follows historic route of discovery by Lewis and Clark, beginning in Hartford, Ill. and ending in Williston, N.D. It travels through a total of nine Midwest states. Submitted map - The Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail follows in the historic footsteps of Lewis and Clark, while traveling through Hamburg, Council Bluffs and Onawa. Updated route maps are available courtesy of Adventure Cycling Association.

Submitted map - The Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail follows in the historic footsteps of Lewis and Clark, while traveling through Hamburg, Council Bluffs and Onawa. Updated route maps are available courtesy of Adventure Cycling Association.

The National Park Service grant was also used to fund updates of the route itself. The new and improved route steers cyclists to freshly paved rural roads to avoid busy highways in addition to off-road bike paths. Several areas also feature gravel-road options that allow riders to further escape car traffic, Emnett said, adding that all abilities should be able to travel the trail. "The great thing about bicycle routes is pretty much everybody can handle it," she said. "It become a matter of how many miles you do a day. You can go at your own speed." The list of services including restaurants, hotels, campgrounds and public libraries found along the way has also been updated for the Lewis and Clark Trail. Individuals can purchase the entire set of eight maps for $66 for ACA members and $90 for non-members. Individual maps cost $9.75 for ACA members and $12.75 for non-members.