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WEST UNION AREA RECREATIONAL TRAILS

Doug’s guide to recreational trails for biking and hiking in NE Iowa—in and around West Union, Iowa

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VIDEOS of trails in West Union, Iowa
VIDEOS of trails near West Union, Iowa
Volga RIver State Recreation Area
West Union Recreation Center
Echo Valley Environmental Nature Trail (the Jensen Trail)
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ECHO VALLEY STATE PARK (West Union, Iowa)

This trail at Echo Valley State Park follows an old railroad bed. This park lies just a couple miles outside of West Union, Iowa and has many hiking & biking trails plus a challenging trek along the backbone.

ECHO VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL NATURE TRAIL (THE JENSEN TRAIL) > click for short video

 The above picture shows the access point to the “Jensen Trail” that leads through Echo Valley Park from what locally is referred to as the “Goose Ranch.”
(Click above picture for a short YouTube video of the trail.)

This well-maintained dirt/gravel trail (see photos below) runs along the old railroad bed situated in Echo Valley Park—located just outside of West Union, Iowa (to access the main entrance to Echo Valley Park, follow Echo Valley Road just south of West Union.)

The park’s bike/hiking trail can be accessed from several different points—the three most-popular would be:

  • The park’s main entrance > the picnic/camping area to the left at the bottom of the hill as you drive into the park (before you cross the stream.) Getting to the trail from here involves climbing a steep path to access the trail and is not recommended.
  • The park’s main entrance > through the stream at the bottom of the hill (yes, you can drive right through it > proceed up a winding hill to the shelter house. There’s plenty of parking there, and trail access is very convenient.
  • Accessing the trail from the Goose Ranch—that’s where I hopped on the trail for today’s photo shoot—see picture below.

    Directions to the Goose Ranch:

1. From Casey’s in West Union, go 1/2 mile E on Hwy 18
2. Turn right at Elgin exit
3. Proceed 1 mile, then turn right onto Hazel Road (gravel road)
4. Proceed 1.8 miles until you come to a T-intersection (Hornet Rd)
5. This area is locally known as the “Goose Ranch;” and to your immediate right, you’ll see a small parking area for access to the Echo Valley Environmental Nature Trail.

The trail is a wide (7-10 feet) dirt/gravel path, 1.45 miles long. So, a leisurely round trip of 2.9 miles on bicycle—starting from the Goose Ranch, running through the park and then returning to the Goose Ranch— takes approximately 27 minutes.

Echo Valley Park was at one time at state park. My understanding is now (in 2022), it’s a county park.

Most of the improvements on the trail can be attributed to a Mr. Dick Jensen from the West Union, Iowa area.

As you can tell, this is a beautiful trail beneath a thick canopy of trees and over three bridges which span Otter Creek—truly a hidden treasure here in West Union!

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From the Goose Ranch entrance to Echo Valley Par, this is the start of the bike/walking trail.
(If you look closely, you’ll notice the chain across the path to prevent motorized vehicles.)

This dirt/stone trail extends 1.45 miles from the Goose Ranch along the old rail bed through Echo Valley to the main entrance.

Along the trail, you’ll see lots of natural beauty—including streams, trees, grasslands and wildlife.

Otter Creek winds along the trail.

Coming from the Goose Ranch entrance, this is the first of three bridges you’ll cross.

This is the second of three bridges you’ll cross.

This is looking to the east off bridge #2.

This is looking to the west off bridge #2.

If you look closely, you can see stone steps leading down from the shelter house area into what was once a lake.

This part of the trail leads up to the crossroads—where if you turn left, you’ll leave the park; if you turn to the right, you’ll go to the shelter house; and if you continue forward, you’ll cross bridge #3 after which the trail terminates at the park’s main entrance road.

This view is from bridge #3 and is looking to the west.

This view is from bridge #3 looking to the east. In the right area—obscured by trees—you can see the parking/camping area.

Here is one of the many “off trail” paths that lead into some of the more-rugged areas of Echo Valley Park.

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WEST UNION RECREATION CENTER (click for a bike tour)

The West Union Recreation Center, located on North Pine Street on the north end of West Union, Iowa, is a complex consisting of softball & soccer fields, a swimming pool, two lakes (with fishing), a park with playground equipment and one mile’s worth of paved, walking/biking trails.

SHOW MORE WU REC CENTER PHOTOSCLOSE WU REC CENTER PHOTOS
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OTHER RECREATIONAL TRAILS RIGHT IN PICTURESQUE WEST UNION, IOWA

(click images for video bike tours of West Union)

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ALL VIDEOS

TRAILS IN WEST UNION, IOWA

Echo Valley Environmental Nature Trail 2022 (17 minutes 54 seconds)

Echo Valley Road bike ride to Echo Valley Park 2022 (29 minutes 40 seconds)

Echo Valley Park History – from Kevin Mason’s State Park Series (5 minutes 22 seconds)

West Union, Iowa | a 2022 bike tour of the south side of town (17 minutes 27 seconds)

Doug checks out RAGBRAI 2022 in West Union (19 minutes 20 seconds)

Exploring West Union 2022 (20 minutes 9 seconds)

Downtown West Union 2020 – version 1 (18 minutes 19 seconds)

Downtown West Union 2020 – version 2 (18 minutes 19 seconds)

Cook Street 2020 (6 minutes 19 seconds)

The West Union Recreation Center 2020 – full version (26 minutes 1 second)

Mysterious splashes on late-night bike ride at West Union Rec Center 2022 (1 minute 4 seconds)

Johnny’s new e-bike + a tour of some of West Union’s lesser-known streets 2023 (29 minutes 19 seconds)

Enchanting Trails of Echo Valley (49 minutes 59 seconds)

Echo Valley Trek with special guest Mark Haines (1 hour 2 minutes 16 seconds)

Doug’s biking/drone video of West Union Rec Center trail

Doug’s 2nd drone test—a mini-tour of Cook Street (7 minutes 29 seconds) 

A quick bike tour of West Union’s courthouse square (6 minutes 56 seconds)

A Brief East Side Tour: West Union, Iowa (13 minutes 11 seconds)

Devil’s Staircase Hike with the Drone at Echo Valley | West Union, Iowa (17 minutes 41 seconds)

The Bennett Trail Trek with special guest Mark Haines | West Union, Iowa (27 minutes 17 seconds)

Echo Valley—The Fall Transition (with Mark Haines) | West Union, Iowa (24 minutes 36 seconds)

Echo Valley Friendship Trail (with Mark Haines) | West Union, Iowa (45 minutes 14 seconds)

Quick ride on the Jensen Trail with new Trek | 5/25/25 (29 minutes)

Echo Valley Friendship Trail (bike ride) | West Union, Iowa (31 minutes 28 seconds)

Biking the Jensen Trail at Echo Valley State Park – 2025 (27 minutes 12 seconds)

West Union Rec Center & Town Bike Tour 2026 (23 minutes 11 seconds)

Echo Valley Friendship Trail – revisited 2026 (24 minutes 59 seconds)

TRAILS NEAR WEST UNION, IOWA

Fayette (Iowa) Bike Trail starting from Klock’s Island (18 minutes 45 seconds)

Albany Bridge Trek—Volga River State Recreation Area (22 minutes 5 seconds)

Photos & Maps of Volga River State Recreation Area

Elgin (Iowa) Bike Trail (26 minutes 50 seconds)

Spillway Bike Ride—Harpers Ferry, Iowa (34 minutes 6 seconds)

The Crooked Forest Trek—West Union, Iowa (25 minutes 52 seconds)

Plum Creek Ride—Fredericksburg, Iowa (29 minutes 7 seconds)

Pony Hollow Trail—Elkader, Iowa (33 minutes 10 seconds)

Doug’s bike tour of St. Olaf, Iowa (29 minutes 52 seconds)

Trout Run Trail in Decorah, Iowa (35 minutes 42 seconds)

Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail in Calmar, Iowa (34 minutes 10 seconds)

Harpers Ferry bike ride—Harpers Ferry, Iowa (39 minutes 1 second)

Saint Feriole Island bike tour—Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (45 minutes 31 seconds)

Doug’s Independence Bike Ride—Independence, Iowa (56 minutes 34 seconds)

Oelwein Municipal Urban Trail System (part 1 of 2) – Oelwein, Iowa (34 minutes 17 seconds)

Oelwein Municipal Urban Trail System (part 2 of 2) – Oelwein, Iowa (21 minutes 56 seconds)

Dutton’s Cave quick tour (10 minutes 32 seconds)

Trout Run Trail drone/bike tour—Decorah, IA (18 minutes 10 seconds)

Decorah Dog Park bike ride—Decorah, Iowa (20 minutes 34 seconds)

Klock’s Island Park | Bike & Drone tour – Fayette, Iowa (25 minutes 46 seconds)

Sweet Water Creek Trail | Tripoli, Iowa (43 minutes 50 seconds)

Grump Trail | Readlyn, Iowa (40 minutes 43 seconds)

Wapsi-Great Western Line Trail | Elma, Iowa (46 minutes 10 seconds)

Doug & Johnny bike the Gilbertson Trail | Elgin, Iowa (13 minutes 47 seconds)

Pulpit Rock/Phelps Park hike (with Mark Haines) | Decorah, Iowa (1 hr 3 min 42 sec)

Fairbank, Iowa (town) & Oelwein City Park bike tours (53 minutes 40 seconds)

Doug’s Bike Tour of Como Falls Park | Hokah, MN (52 minutes 23 seconds)

Doug’s Bike Tour of Nashua, Iowa & the Little Brown Church (1 hr 47 seconds)

Albany Bridge Hidden Trail (& Lima Cemetery walk) with Mark & Doug (46 mins 48 sec)

The Trail to Nowhere | Decorah, Iowa (37 mins 27 sec)

Big Woods Lake Recreation Area | Cedar Falls, Iowa (39 mins 01 sec)

Spillville Bike Tour | Spillville, Iowa (43 minutes 31 seconds)

Eldorado, Iowa | Doug’s bike tour (39 minutes 28 seconds)

Cedar Valley Lakes Trail | Black Hawk Park (50 minutes 53 seconds)

Gilbertson Trail (2026) | Elgin, Iowa (19 minutes 19 seconds)

MORE VIDEOS TO COME – CHECK BACK OFTEN!

 

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9 thoughts on “West Union Bike/Walking Trails”

  4. Cleone Kay Rupp Fordham

    Hi Doug. Cleone Rupp Fordham here. Grew up on Walnut Street. Class of 1955. Enjoying visiting my great home town vicariously through her videos. Great job!

    Reply
    1. doug@memorybrothers

      I’m sure a few things look different now—but much hasn’t changed! Glad you’re enjoying the site.

      Reply

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