The list on the map is long.

They include John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, Rosedale Rapids, Webster County’s Freedom Rock, and Iowa Central Community College.

You can even walk, bike or push the kids in their stroller all the way to Badger.

Matt Cosgrove, Webster County Conservation director, talked a bit about the history of the trail system, future plans and the benefits it offers during Coffee and Conservation Saturday morning at the Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center in Fort Dodge.

Something that wasn’t so good, the COVID pandemic, turned out to be a boon for the trails.

“The only good thing that came out of that is that it got people outside,” Cosgrove said. “We saw a 300 percent increase in trail use.”

The current trail system emerged from planning that began in 2004.

“We did a survey of businesses in the community,” he said. “We asked, ‘What do you want?” Trails were one of the wants.”

Since then, about 20 miles of paved trails have been added.

In addition, he said, there are also 60 miles of trails in the Gypsum City OHV park and over 50 miles at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area. Dolliver Memorial State Park is also filled with trails.

The master plan is almost complete.

“Almost everything on that has been accomplished,” he said.

The current big push is connecting Webster County’s trail system with the Three Rivers Trail to the north, which would allow trail users to get to Humboldt and other communities along that system.

“We are working with Humboldt County on that,” he said.

Part of creating a trail is acquiring the land.

“We only work with private land owners who want to work with us,” he said. “There’s no condemnation.”

In the past, push back has been common.

“Littering was a concern,” Cosgrove said. “We have businesses that come in and clean up the trails constantly. It’s actually made things better.”

He said that during public meetings several decades ago, 50 to 75 percent of those attending would be opposed to the trails. He said that’s changed as people have seen that the trails bring a great deal of value and are frequently cited as an amenity that influences businesses to locate in the area and people to move here.

The trail system isn’t just confined to land. There are also the water trails on the Des Moines River and Lizard Creek.

Cosgrove said they will soon be working on a new launch site to the Des Moines River near the Kenyon Road bridge as well as a display that will help inform paddlers of the optimum water levels in the river and creek.

Cosgrove said there will be a live link to the river’s water gauge that can be accessed on their website.