The City of Coon Rapids is applying to be officially recognized as an American Discovery Trail Town, being a part of the 6,800-mile trail system connecting the United States’s East and West coasts. Established in the early 1990s, the American Hiking Society and BACKPACKER magazine proposed a cross-country hiking trail, connecting national scenic, recreational, and historic trails between communities to provide diverse experiences nationwide. Main Street Executive Director, Katie Mason, says the American Discovery Trail leaves West Des Moines, connecting to the Raccoon River Valley Trail to Herndon, which connects to Highway E63 before reaching The Whiterock Conservancy Trails that travel right through Coon Rapids.
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Mason says the main benefit of being designated as a trail town would be the publicity of being connected to the American Discovery Trail.
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If the application is approved, Coon Rapids would then need to be responsible for ensuring the upkeep of the portion of the American Discovery Trail that runs through the area, along with other additional responsibilities.
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While no specific grants are available for trail towns for the creation and upkeep of the American Discovery Trail, Mason says to be able to put on a grant application that Coon Rapids is designated as one would be looked at in favor of receiving funding. Mason projects that city officials will get the application results by spring 2025.