Those who check out the sky near the fish hatchery along Trout Run Trail might catch a glimpse of one of Decorah’s acclaimed eagles.

The elegant birds’ claim to fame came courtesy of streaming video focused on their lofty nest, with nearly 64,000 followers and more than 1.1 million Facebook “likes.”

Although the eagles abandoned the televised nest and built another, they’re still around to delight onlookers with their cameo roles.

“A lot of our tourists are still in love with the eagles,” said Brenda Luzum, director of the Decorah Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Back on earth, hikers and bikers on Trout Run also can feed the trout at the hatchery or try their luck at catching a creel of them in the adjacent Siewers Springs. The trail crosses trout streams five times as it meanders in and around the picturesque northeast Iowa city of about 8,200. Many of the fishing spots are handicapped-accessible.

Trout Run’s grand opening was in September, so the 11-mile paved path is barely broken in. Its scenery changes at nearly every turn, from a new bridge with hundreds of LED lights to a section carved through rock reminiscent of the Grand Canyon.

The trail’s novelty has created a buzz for locals as well as tourists, Luzum said.

“We’re expecting this to be a phenomenal year,” she said. “People are coming in like crazy to get maps for the trail.”

The trail originally was planned to be just a few miles to the fish hatchery, “but we were encouraged to make the full loop,” so the project expanded to 11 miles with state and federal grants, Luzum said.

Another $1.4 million was raised locally to help pay for the trail, she said.

Not many trails can boast the double duty of being outdoor art galleries, but Trout Run can, courtesy of $100,000 in grants from the Vision Iowa Board to nestle artwork in nature.

Decorah artist Dean Schwarz’s ceramic tile mosaic fills two roles — as a decorative piece of art and a sign for the fish hatchery.

Iowa City artist Bounnak Thammavong used his love of trout fishing as the inspiration for his sculpture of a metal arch resembling a wave rising above the trail.

Minneapolis artist Doug Freeman, a 1975 graduate of Luther College in Decorah, crafted the third piece of art, a bronze sculpture of a woman titled “Walking with Birds” overlooking the Upper Iowa River.

Art aficionados seeking a more traditional venue can check the Agora Arts studio and gallery in the historic Hotel Winneshiek downtown. The hometown gallery of Iowa City-born writer/artist Brian Andreas’ StoryPeople collection recently was voted one of the 100 top craft galleries in the country.

The hotel itself is an artistic gem, courtesy of Decorah native and Chicago philanthropist Helen Basler, who bought the building in 1997. It had been converted to apartments, but she had it restored to the splendor of its original opening in 1905 for its reopening in 2000.

The hotel harbors a “historic nature and the romantic story of Helen Basler’s caring about it and restoring it” that capture the imagination of visitors, said Ede Rollins, the hotel’s sales and catering director.

“We’re really, really blessed to have her give us this gift,” Rollins said.

Basler, an avid gardener who still has a house in Decorah, wasn’t done yet with resurrecting the city’s history. She restored the Steyer Opera House adjoining the hotel in 2003.

The Steyer is a popular venue for conferences and other events, Rollins said, adding, “We’ve got weddings coming out the ears this summer.”

As the only hotel downtown, the Winneshiek serves as a hub for guests walking to the sundry restaurants, shops and other attractions, Rollins said.

“Everybody knows and loves The Whippy Dip,” she said, referring to a popular ice cream shop/drive-in about a half-mile from the hotel.

The Decorah region’s art world will broaden during the annual Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour from Oct. 11-13. It will feature more than 50 artisan studios within 20 miles of Decorah.

No trip to Decorah is complete without a stop at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.

The museum, in a historic building downtown, features more than 24,000 artifacts, ranging from Norwegian folk and fine art to their tools of agriculture.

In addition to the main building, which is open year-round, Vesterheim features 12 historic buildings out back that are open from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Through Labor Day, the museum offers free admission to all active-duty military personnel through the national Blue Star Museums program sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families and the Department of Defense.