Biking Waterloo, Iowa's Cedar Valley Nature Trail

This trail uses the route of the old Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Northern interurban railroad from the early 1900s, an all-electric railway with depots about 15 miles apart.  The trail runs 52 miles, joining the Cedar River Trail in Cedar Rapids. The 20 miles at the trails' start and end are paved, with the middle crushed limestone. 

I parked at Forest Road at the bridge over the Cedar River, located off I-380. (Take River Forest Road exit, turn right on Gilbert, right on Grand which becomes River Road, goes under the expressway to the parking area.)

Here's the river as seen from the bridge...

Lovely woods predominate along the trail...

This interesting observation area overlooks a nice pond...

The refurbished 1912 Gilbertville Depot was used for passengers and freight...