City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Parks & Recreation

Description: This 19-mile stretch of the river, from Cottonwood Access in the north, just south of the Saylorville Dam, to Yellow Banks County Park in the south, is a paddlers’ paradise, with the river flowing past some very peaceful stretches of wilderness in the heart of the city. Bald eagles, beavers, great blue herons, and American white pelicans are just some of the wildlife that have been spotted along stretches of the river. The final segment, from Pleasant Hill Access to Yellow Banks, is perhaps the most scenic—paddlers have spotted as many as 70 eagles in a single trip. Keep your eyes peeled for the high, wooded bluffs of loess as you reach the end—you’ll see how the park got its name. Powerboats use the water trail as well, and fishermen cast lines downstream of the dams at Saylorville, Center Street, and Scott Street in the spring and fall. A 2-mile section of the river downtown is closed to boaters due to low-head dams, requiring a portage around the Center Street Dam, just south of I-235, and the Scott Avenue Dam, just past the confluence with the Raccoon River. The Des Moines Rowing Club, www.desmoinesrowing.org, which trains on the river as well as offering novice rowing classes at Gray’s Lake, is headquartered at the boathouse at Birdland Park marina, on the north section of the River Water Trail. Central Iowa Paddlers (515-284-6910 or 641-363-4451; www.paddleiowa.org). is an informal group of paddling enthusiasts, both novice and experienced, who share information on paddling opportunities.