Skiing and Ice Skating
Snow on the ground? No problem! Many of the trails in the area become great places to cross country ski in the winter. On a Saturday afternoon, you might like to rent some skates and head down to the local ice skating rink. For those into downhill skiing or snowboarding, the closest hill is just over an hour away. When the weather starts to change it doesn’t mean that you outdoor recreation has to end!
Cross Country Skiing
Rental
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Decorah Bicycles
- 101 College Drive
- (563) 382-8209
- M-F 10-6, Th 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-4
- Located near the Whippy Dip
Trail Maps
Cross-Country Ski TrailMap for Decorah, IA (pdf)
Suggested Places
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City Prairie
- Distance: 2 miles
- Level: beginners
- Characteristics: flat, groomed trail
- Comments: This route is convenient if you are renting from the bike shop
- Access: From Ohio Street near to Aase Haugen Nursing Home.
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Luther’s Cross Country Course
- Distance: 2 miles
- Level: beginners
- Characteristics: double-track and skating lane, mostly flat
- Access: Across from Regents Center.
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Van Peenen Park
- Distance: 4 miles
- Level: beginners to intermediate
- Characteristics: double-track through both native prairie and pine trees
- Access: From Skyline Road.
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Upper Ice Cave
- Distance: 1.25 miles
- Level: intermediate to advanced
- Characteristics: ungroomed
- Comments: Offers a beautiful view of the Upper Iowa River Valley below.
- Access: from Ice Cave Rd.
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Lower Ice Cave
- Distance: 1 mile
- Characteristics: flat trail 3/4 mile ungroomed
- Access: from either Ice Cave Road near Dunnings Springs or at the corner of Quarry Hill road and Ice Cave near Palisades.
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Palisades
- Distance: 2 miles
- Level: intermediate to advanced
- Characteristics: double-track and skating trails
- Comments: A beautiful park with a nice view of Decorah, but very hilly.
- Access: available from Park Drive at the end of Ice Cave Road.
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Dug Road/Lower Phelps/Oneota Drive
- Distance: 2.5 miles
- Level: Beginners
- Characteristics: groomed double track with skating lane. 3/4-mile of this trail is lighted until 11 p.m. and relatively flat
- Comments: Located between a limestone bluff and the Upper Iowa River, this is a very beautiful trail. If you continue away from campus towards Palisades (instead of towards the campground) it continues to follow the river, however the trail is much less sheltered. Access: from the west end off US Hwy 52 on Oneota Drive, or at the west end of Main St. Very convenient if renting from the bike shop.
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Twin Springs Park
- Distance: 3/4-mile
- Level: Intermediate to advanced
- Characteristics: un-groomed
- Comments: Overlooks Twin Springs trout stream.
- Access: from Twin Springs Park off of US Hwy 52.
Ice Skating
Place to Skate
Each winter the basketball courts at Wayside Park on the corner of Fifth Avenue and College Dr. are flooded to make a skate rink.
Skate Rentals
-
Decorah Bicycles `
- 101 College Drive
- (563) 382-8209
- M-F 10-6, Th 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-4
- Located near the Whippy Dip. Skates can be rented at the rink, but they have limited sizes. The Bike shop has in the past had more sizes. Prices are the same because the bike shop runs both locations.
Downhill Skiing / Snowboarding
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MT LaCrosse
- La Crosse, WI 54602
- 608-788-0044
- 1-800-426-3665
- www.mtlacrosse.com
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Sundown Mountain
- 16991 Asbury Rd
- Dubuque, IA 52002
- 1-563-556-6676
- www.sundownmtn.com