The Cedar River Water Trail, in Mitchell County, will be officially dedicated as Iowa’s newest water trail during a public ceremony at 10 a.m., June 29, at Bennett Access along the Cedar River, near Osage.

Water trails are recreational routes on rivers and lakes that provide a unique experience for paddlers. Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has partnered with Mitchell County Conservation to develop a water trails master plan for the Cedar River in Mitchell County. The master plan provides a future vision for river recreation and identifies improvements to river access, parking, safety and more.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, participants will have the option to take a guided paddling trip down the river from Bennett Access to T-38 Access. A limited number of kayaks/canoes are available for use.  Registration for the paddle is required.  Contact Andy Taets, Mitchell County Conservation at 641-420-5517 to reserve a kayak and/or register for the event.

Learn more about this new water trail, including a map, on the DNR webpage at www.iowadnr.gov/paddling.