The Need

Like many areas in the country, trail usage in Polk County Conservation areas increased by over 40% in 2020. This growth created crowded trailheads and an obvious need for more singletrack trails, especially those that connect off paved trails. The Copper Creek Mountain Bike Trails will serve the city of Pleasant Hill, the city of Des Moines, and Polk County residents who visit from nearby. This trail system will provide recreation for every level of rider and activities for a variety of users. The acreage is surrounded by neighborhoods and connects via a paved trail to a shopping area, providing easy access for the community.

Iowa ranks near the bottom of all 50 states in terms of the amount of recreation land it offers to the public. This area will provide a space for the community to escape to nature, all within a few miles of the heart of Des Moines. Not only does this area provide outdoor recreation for a community that has little green space, but it will serve as a large conservation education area with rain gardens, timber stand improvement areas, invasive species removal, interpretive conservation signs, and wetlands to assist with water drainage.

The Copper Creek project will bring expanded singletrack trail access to Des Moines’ East Side. This addition to the existing CITA trail system ensures more people will have access to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors. By combining conservation and recreation, Copper Creek Trails will truly speak to Polk County Conservation’s mission of providing quality outdoor recreation and long term protection of green spaces for the citizens of Polk County.

CURRENT FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES

With help from IMBA, the Copper Creek Trails Project has been chosen as a 2021 Dig In Grant Recipient. IMBA’s Dig In Program, founded by Shimano, provides an avenue for raising funds for mountain bike projects nationwide, like this one! IMBA is helping us, by leveraging their reach and relationships to provide grant opportunities via corporate partner dollars and run a national marketing campaign. The goal is to bridge the gap between local and national fundraising efforts, and show a new audience how inspirational and vital trails are to local riders and communities.  

Each project that raises $2,000 is eligible for $2,000 in matching funds from Shimano. The more money is raised means more money can be allocated toward the project. Make a difference today by contributing to the Copper Creek MTB Park Dig In project! 

Polk County Conservation and CITA are currently applying for grants to assist in the funding of this project. As grants are awarded we will list them here.

PARK VISION

The Copper Creek property owned by Polk County Conservation presents a unique opportunity to meld green infrastructure best management practices (BMPs) with active, community recreation. The overall forest/land condition, gentle grades, and proximity to a FEMA foodplain are great combinations for a one-of-a-kind symbiosis of recreation and green infrastructure. Can you imagine a pump track that also functions as a rain garden? Native grasses, forbs, and flowers on the backsides of berms and sides of rollers or jumps? Invasive forest understory species eradicated and new native understory and oak trees planted to recreate the historical oak savannahs of Polk County? Permeable rock slab armoring draining to swales? All of this can be created at Copper Creek.

• PUMP TRACK & SKILLS AREA

• RIDING FEATURES

  • Native Stone Starting Hub

  • Flow Trails

  • Earth Berms

  • Wood Features | Berms/Jumps/Boardwalks

  • Stream Crossing

• CONSERVATION

• GREEN INFRATRUCTURE will be used across the site to address stormwater runoff from the proposed parking lot in the form of bioswales and a series of rain gardens. Water quality can also be address along Copper Creek itself. Currently an engineering firm has been retained to study the hydraulics of this site to improve water quality. It is anticipated a small wetland could be incorporated into this site that would filter water from Copper Creek before it enters Fourmile creek immediately southwest of the site.

• SUSTAINABLE TRAILS The trail system will be built to Best Management Practices for sustainable trail design. Trails will serve as recreational trails for bikers, hikers, and trail runners. Residents from nearby Copper Creek Lake Park will be able to enjoy the paved walking trail around the lake and also break off into Copper Creek Woods to experience the natural trails. All this is located along the Gay Leah Wilson trail that connects into the Central Iowa Trails System.

THE AREA