Pine Lake State Park

ELDORA, IOWA - Over the Memorial Day weekend we were blessed with some very nice weather, albeit a bit windy at times.  There was a LOT of activity on the trails, and conditions were perfect for a whole host of outdoor activities.  Besides visiting the Comet Trail in Grundy County for a quick ride on Monday, I also checked out the Pine Lake State Park/Tower Rock Trail that runs from Eldora, through Pine Lake State Park, and continues on to Steamboat Rock.  This trail is only about 4.5 miles long, but winds itself through some gorgeous areas within the Iowa River Greenbelt.  There's a few sections that are quite hilly and make for a good cardiovascular workout.

The Iowa River from the High Bridge along Highway 175.  The trail crosses this bridge on its way to Pine Lake.  This section of the Iowa River is quite popular for paddling and tubing.

The trail near the spillway from Upper to Lower Pine Lake.  This is one of the segments that is quite hilly.

A view of Lower Pine Lake from along the trail.  This trail runs adjacent to the lake in many spots.

Sunset through the trees as I exit the north boundary of the park on the way to Steamboat Rock.

The trail crosses under the IARR trestle at Steamboat Rock.  A huge amount of railroading history in this area.

A portion of this trail uses bike lanes along S56 between Eldora and Steamboat Rock.  More than adequate room for passing vehicles.

After nearly smacking into a deer as I came around the bend in a fast descent down this hill, I encountered this road (trail) hazard just a bit further down the path.  A couple of joggers came from behind and scared these birds off the trail shortly after taking this photo.