Several Organizations make the unique and beautiful Story County trails system possible. First of all, the Story County Supervisors and Story Couny Government provide the foundation for the work of the Story County Conservation Board which governs the three conservation units made up of nearly 2,300 acres of parks and natural areas. The board and staff are also responsible for outdoor recreation and park maintenance. The Conservation Board meets once a month in the Story County Conservation Center At McFarland Park. The public is encouraged to attend.

A third unit that serves as a link between users and the Board and staff is the Story Trails Advisory Group. The purposes of the group are defined as " to aid the SCCB and its staff in the effective management of trails, to promote proper trail use and safety by all user groups, to provide trail users with information, to provide input and assistance on design, development and maintenance of trails, and to foster positive interrelationships among different user groups".

This group helps with promoting Story Trails events, including Work Days for Trail Maintenance, hikes and rides. The Story County Trails Advisory Board invites the public to attend its monthly meeting held the 1st Tuesday of each month at 7:15pm at the Story County Conservation Center at McFarland Park north of Ames. If you bike, hike, horseback ride, and enjoy the many trails in Story County, you are invited to attend to share your ideas and voulunteer your time to improve Story County's trail system. For more information, Contact the Story County Conservation Center at 515/232- 2516

Trails Information

January 17 starting at 10am at the McFarland Conservation Center, A Meeting for Off road cyclists interested in Trail development. Be There!

The Peterson, McFarland, and Greenbelt Trail:

This trail is a loose connection of trails from the area of Peterson Pits Park on the south to McFarland via a short section of blacktop road, in McFarland the trails run from along the Skunk to the North perimeter of the park out to a dual track path to the gravel road by Pleasant Grove Church. This road leads west to the Greenbelt access by Sopers' Mill area. The greenbelt section runs along the Skunk River up past the Bear Creek primitive camp site to another gravel road which connects to Anderson Access where the trail continues along the Skunk to the 221 access south of Story City. See map and photos:

Other Story County Trails

Christiansen Forest Preserve

Robison Acres

Dakins Lake

The Praeri Rail Trail

The Heart of Iowa Trail ( part of the American Discovery Trail)