PROGRESS: Trail connecting Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff completed

The Loess Hills Scenic Trail connects to the already existing trails in Sioux City, allowing Sergeant Bluff residents to walk or bike and residents of Sioux City and beyond to visit Sergeant Bluff. 

The project was completed by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Construction on the trail began in April for Sergeant Bluff and July for Sioux City. 

Sergeant Bluff's portion of the trail begins at Baker Park following Baker Drive to First Street. The second portion goes from First Street along the west side of Old Lakeport Road and continues north approximately 5,375 feet (1.02 miles), ending at the south side of South Ridge Road.

For Sioux City, the trail begins at South Ridge Road and continues north along the west side of Old Lakeport Road to South Lakeport Street for approximately 5,800 feet. Approximately 1,900 feet north of South Ridge Road (south property line of Green Valley Golf Course), the trail branches off to the west across city property, following the existing dirt path to the Green Valley Golf Course maintenance sheds for roughly 2,800 feet. 

The Loess Hills Scenic Trail has been an idea since around 2014, said Sioux City Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore. Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott and Sergeant Bluff Mayor Jon Winkel proposed the idea of connecting the two communities. 

Salvatore said Sioux City was believed to be the largest Iowa city without a trail connection to another city in the state.  

Sergeant Bluff city administrator Aaron Lincoln said the trail will help provide residents with residents access to the Green Valley Golf Course, and the rest of the metro Sioux City trails system. 

"For our local citizens, it just provides more trails, more connectivity to be able to go farther on their bikes or walking," Lincoln said. "For the region, I just think it helps for Sioux City citizens to be able to use it and come down."

A study was conducted to see where the trail could be located and the potential layout options. 

"Trying to make it more than just Sergeant Bluff, trying to make it more than even just Sioux City, but something the county can be proud of and linked up to other counties and other states," Lincoln said. 

The Loess Hills name was a way to highlight the importance of the Loess Hills to the area. 

"Between us and Sioux City it was really important to highlight the importance of the Loess Hills and how beautiful they are," Lincoln said. 

The project came to fruition when the cities received a state grant. In 2022, The Siouxland Regional Trail System received a $7 million Destination Iowa grant for various trail system projects in the area. 

Projects awarded funding included:

• The Big Sioux River Pedestrian Bridge connecting Sioux City to Dakota Dunes, South Dakota;
• The Floyd River Trail connector connecting Sioux City’s Riverfront Trail to the Floyd River Trail;
• The Loess Hills Scenic Trail connecting Sioux City to Sergeant Bluff;
• The PlyWood Trail project connecting the cities of Sioux City, Hinton, Merrill, and LeMars and;
• The Cone Mountain Bike Park connects to Sioux City’s Sertoma Park Trail loop and the Singing Hills Trail connection.