Wanting to ride from Portland,Or to Des Moines,iowa - good route?

[wredeje]

We are wanting to ride from Portland,Or to Des moines, Iowa this upcoming June. Would love some insight to a great route.

[RussSeaton]

We are wanting to ride from Portland,Or to Des moines, Iowa this upcoming June. Would love some insight to a great route.

For the final 60 miles into Des Moines get on the paved bike trail at Jefferson, about 60 miles NW of Des Moines.  Trail takes you right to downtown Des Moines through the western suburbs.  As for the rest of Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, just get a state road map and pick out some lesser roads.  Most of the non interstate roads in the western states are lesser traveled.

[DU]

If you wanted to use Adventure Cycling maps you could take the Lewis and Clark Route to Sioux City, Ia. Then use Iowa Transportation Maps for bicyclists, which are free from the Ia. DOT, to get to Jefferson, Ia and the trail Russ spoke about.

[DU]

Here's a link to help you find campgrounds in Iowa.

http://www.campiowa.com/index.cfm

[bishop66]

I will be taking the Lewis and Clark trail starting in May from Seaside OR, through Portland, then to Souix City, across Iowa stopping in Raymond (near Waterloo) where my hometown is, and then Northern Tier from Muscatine to Maine.  Long story short, Lewis and Clark is the way to go.