Someone recently asked me what my favorite place is in Des Moines. Well, this is it. It's on the bike trails in Waterworks Park and while the part that I love the most—this lovely, entirely green forrest—isn't all that long, it nearly takes my breath away every time I'm in it.
This is where the path passes a farm where you can learn to ride horses, or I assume, you can probably board your own. The bike path also doubles as a bridle path in places.
Most of my favorite part of the trail runs alongside the river (it's either the Des Moines or the Raccoon, I'm not entirely sure) and there are marshy grasses that grow on the banks.
This is the slightly rickety bridge that signals, to me, that the best part is soon ahead. The ride up until this point isn't quite so picturesque, but I figure 20(ish) minutes of nothing much pretty to look at (I take that back, there are some nice wildflowers) is a small price to pay for the scenery that comes after.
And here's where I loop around and start my way back home. Plenty of people fish here, and it also seems to be a prime spot for picnics, but I'm content to simply spin around it on my bike, take a few deep breaths and say a word of thanks that I get to live here.
Someone recently asked me what my favorite place is in Des Moines. Well, this is it. It's on the bike trails in Waterworks Park and while the part that I love the most—this lovely, entirely green forrest—isn't all that long, it nearly takes my breath away every time I'm in it.
This is where the path passes a farm where you can learn to ride horses, or I assume, you can probably board your own. The bike path also doubles as a bridle path in places.
Most of my favorite part of the trail runs alongside the river (it's either the Des Moines or the Raccoon, I'm not entirely sure) and there are marshy grasses that grow on the banks.
This is the slightly rickety bridge that signals, to me, that the best part is soon ahead. The ride up until this point isn't quite so picturesque, but I figure 20(ish) minutes of nothing much pretty to look at (I take that back, there are some nice wildflowers) is a small price to pay for the scenery that comes after.
And here's where I loop around and start my way back home. Plenty of people fish here, and it also seems to be a prime spot for picnics, but I'm content to simply spin around it on my bike, take a few deep breaths and say a word of thanks that I get to live here.
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I'm so glad you're enjoying Des Moines Amy! It's nice to be out of the big city sometimes, eh? :)
ReplyDeleteI was so excited to come across these photos this morning. I lived in Des Moines for six years and riding my bike on the exact route you took photos of was my favorite after-work activity. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I'm glad that you are finding the secrets of the midwest and settling in. It all looks so beautiful.
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