Located on the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities is comprised of Moline/East Moline & Rock Island in Illinois; Davenport & Bettendorf in Iowa; and surrounding communities.
Timeless trails at the Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island, IL, lead you into one of the least-disturbed forests in Illinois. Six miles of hiking trails are now in the area once settled by the Sauk Native American Indian nation. Take in views of the Rock River, rocky outcroppings, reclaimed prairie, old pioneer cemetery, and abandoned coal mine. With access to the Rock River, you can put in your kayak or canoe there.
Nahant Marsh in Davenport, Iowa, is one of the last urban wetlands of its size on the upper Mississippi River. Encompassing about 500 acres of high-quality wetland offering amazing bird watching opportunities, and a look at the past when primordial wetlands dotted the river landscape. Take the boardwalk through the marsh and explore this wild habitat. The education center can introduce you and your family to different animals you might find in the marsh.
In partnership with the parks, QC Friends of Off-Road Cycling have built eight trail systems for over 40 miles of singletrack with features like bridges, curved wooden berms, and other technical features. Sunderbruch Park in Davenport, Iowa, has a 7-mile trail system comprised of 99% singletrack trails with a full gamut of difficulty levels (green to black diamond). The new Ninja Park also at Sunderbruch Park has play equipment just like the obstacles from the popular TV show that is good for older kids and adults.
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Photos Courtesy of Visit Quad Cities