Evans Preserve singletrack grand opening held as part of Mason City’s bike trail project

MASON CITY — The grand opening and ribbon cutting for an extensive singletrack network of Mason City’s new bike trail project took place this morning. The singletrack trail located at Evans Preserve is one of many as part of the Prairie Rock Trails Destination Iowa project.

Iowa Bike Coalition executive director Luke Hoffman says Mason City’s bike plan is receiving a lot of attention statewide. “I think the cool thing here is that there’s lots of buzz, lots of pieces are being put into place, they are lining up, and that alignment is going to allow the leaders in Mason City to continue to build this out. Going back to expanding this network and connectivity, they’ve gotten it to about 15 miles, and then they have the High Line Trail too that’s eventually going to also connect, so we’re really only at the  cusp here, at the beginning stages.”

Hoffman says Mason City’s project, which when completed will link more than 20 miles of trails and 600 acres of parks, including the bike park being constructed on the city’s north side and the Riverwalk project downtown, will give other bike park-geared communities around the nation a run for their money.   “You think about where Mason City could be in 50 years, that’s why I’m so bullish on Mason City being the Bentonville Arkansas or even giving them a run for their money, because I think about the opportunity, and if you put that kind of visionary leadership over a long period of time, it seems gradual in the moment day by day, year by year even, but think about where the Raccoon River Valley Trail went, and how that got connected. If you think about where Mason City is headed, it could be one of the biggest places in the state for cycling.”

The bike trails project is made possible in part by a $4.5 million Destination Iowa grant.