Winneshiek County Trails: Economic Impact and Master Plan

Winneshiek County, Iowa is home to small communities proud of their cultural heritage and unique landscape. The Winneshiek County Conservation Board and the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission share the goal of connecting communities and natural amenities through a recreational trail network. In 2015, these organizations partnered with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities to make strides toward their goal. This report is a result of that partnership and was completed by graduate students enrolled in The University of Iowa School of Urban and Regional Planning. It achieves three objectives regarding the trail planning process in Northeastern Iowa. First, this report quantifies the tourism value of Trout Run Trail in Decorah, Iowa through an economic impact assessment. Trout Run Trail’s annual economic impact is estimated to be as much as $2.4 million. Second, a housing sales price analysis was conducted. This analysis is intended to determine the Trout Run Trail’s indirect impact on real estate values near the trail. Results from this analysis were inconclusive. The steps for the economic impact assessment and housing sales price analysis are summarized in handbooks for future use. Recommendations for improving these analyses focus on improved data collection through the use of surveys and trail user counts. Lastly, a planning scenario examines the suitability of three possible trail routes and provides a system for prioritizing future trail development. Relevant criteria for trail development are included in a weighted scoring system based on the importance of specific criteria in local trail planning efforts. These three contributions will assist the decision-making process on future trail projects.