2024 Iowa Trails Summit: The Nature of Trails

October 3 and 4 | Council Bluffs

Join trail professionals, users and advocates to learn about and improve trails in your community!

The Iowa Trails Summit brings together trail builders, supporters, volunteers, advocates and enthusiasts from across Iowa and beyond to delve into trail development topics ranging from corridor acquisition, engineering and enhancements, to funding, maintenance and marketing. Participants we’ll hear from nationally acclaimed speakers, network with other trail enthusiasts and learn new skills and tactics to continue to improve and build trails in your community.

This year’s conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites in Council Bluffs.

Featuring Keynote Speaker Robert Searns

Robert Searns has a four-decade history of visualizing, planning, and getting trails and greenway projects built. He was Project Director of Denver’s Platte River and Mary Carter Greenways—both national-award-wining projects. He helped plan the Grand Canyon National Park Greenway, played a key role on the Memphis Wolf River Greenway, and authored the Commerce City, CO Walk, Bike, Fit Master Plan.  He co-authored Greenways: A Guide to Planning Design and Development (Island Press)—published in the U.S. and China—and contributed to Greenways: The Beginning of an International Movement (Elsevier Press). He has written for Planning, Landscape Architecture, LA China, and American Trails Magazines and has served as Editor-in-Chief of Trails and Beyond Magazine. He's been a keynote speaker in the U.S. and Asia and a trainer for the U.S. National Park Service and the Urban Land Institute. He chaired American Trails and was a founder of The World Trails Network as well as being a delegate to the America’s Great Outdoors White House conclave. He resides, writes, hikes and bikes near Denver, Colorado.

Thank you to our 2023 Premier sponsor

Thank you to our 2023 sponsors

2023 Iowa Trails Summit hosts

Join us

The Iowa Trails Summit brings together trail blazers from across Iowa each fall to learn, connect and collaborate from afar. Professional and volunteer trail advocates alike are welcome.