Founders’ Trail

The Founders’ Trail crosses old farm fields which are now lush with restored tallgrass prairie. The 1.5 mile trail climbs to the Founders’ Grove on the crest of the hill overlooking the Red Cedar River Valley. You will experience restored and recreated habitats that would have been present prior to Euro-American settlement. Watch for signs of the diverse wildlife that lives here today. A brochure with a map and expanded landmark descriptions is available in the barn.

Landmarks

The Penningroth Barn

Built in 1932, the Penningroth Barn (A) housed a dairy until World War II. The land was farmed until 1968, when the City of Cedar Rapids purchased the entire farm as part of the Cedar Greenbelt, to protect the floodplain along the Red Cedar River.

Sugarbush

In late winter, Iowa’s first agricultural crop of the year is harvested in the Sugarbush (B). Maple trees along Indian Creek are tapped and the collected sap is boiled in the nearby sugarhouse.

Sac and Fox Trail

Iowa’s first National Recreation Trail, the Sac and Fox Trail (C) was established in 1975. The trail meanders alongside Indian Creek, which flows into the Red Cedar River. The trail then turns west toward downtown Cedar Rapids for a total of 7.3 miles.

Lynne Stimple Prairie

Explore the huge glacial erratic, first deposited north of Cedar Rapids 12,000-15,000 years ago by the last glacier, which now marks the Lynne Stimple Prairie (D) entrance.  Watch as wind flows over the prairie, pushing  grasses and flowers into racing waves across the meadow.

Edge Habitats

Edge Habitats (E) exist where one habitat blends into another. Rich in wildlife and food, these areas are excellent for bird watching or for spying deer as they slip into the forest cover.

Oak Savanna

Oak Savanna (F) is one of the rarest habitats in Iowa. This beautiful habitat rapidly disappeared with settlement as oak groves became home sites, were cut for lumber, or were plowed for fields.

Upland Deciduous Woods

Roots of oaks, walnuts, and hickories reach deep into sandy hillsides of the Upland Deciduous Woods (G), nesting habitat for ovenbirds, catbirds, and many other species. Cooper’s hawks and various owls also nest here.

Founders’ Grove

The white pines of the Founders’ Grove (H) create a restful, quiet habitat for those who seek solitude. In winter, deer shelter under the pines’ protective canopy and owls frequently perch here.