Brown's Woods
Carney Marsh
Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt
Chichaqua Valley Trail
Easter Lake Park
Engeldinger Marsh
Fort Des Moines Park
Gay Lea Wilson Trail
Great Western Trail
High Trestle Trail
Jester Park
Mally's Park
Sycamore Trail
Thomas Mitchell Park
Trestle to Trestle Trail
Yellow Banks Park
As an extra incentive, if you “find” all 16 geocaches you will be rewarded with a special collectable trackable Geocaching coin!
Only one special / collectable trackable coin will be given per household. Additional geocoins may be purchased at $10/coin for other family members completing the challenge. This special geocoin may not be purchased by the general public.
How is this accomplished?
Download your “Passport" HERE.
Take this Passport with you when you are seeking these caches.
Each of these 16 caches will contain a popsicle stick with a secret word embossed on them.
Use the enclosed crayons to create a rubbing of the secret word on your 'Passport' to prove that you have found this cache!
Once your Passport is complete, turn it into the Jester Park Office or by mail to claim your special coin.
Jester Park: N 41 46.777 W093 46.539
(11407 NW Jester Park Dr., Granger, IA 50109)
There is not an "end date" for this special Polk County Parks Geocaching Challenge. You have plenty of time to complete this fun and rewarding geocaching experience!
High Trestle Trail
The land that now rests beneath the High Trestle Trails was purchased in 1881 to establish the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad Company. Union Pacific Railroad sold a 25-mile discontinued rail corridor that connects the cities of Ankeny, Sheldahl, Slater, Madrid, and Woodward to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 2005. The Foundation then transferred the corridor to nine public partners, including Polk County Conservation Board. The majority of the trail was paved in 2008. This trail segment is a major link in a proposed plan to create two 100-mile trail loops that meet near Des Moines. The western loop involves the Raccoon River Trail and Clive Greenbelt Trail. The eastern loop includes the Heart of Iowa Trail, Chichaqua Valley Trail and the Gay Lea Wilson Trail.
A former railroad bridge that spans across the Des Moines River, located between Woodward and Madrid, is the focal point of the trail. This one half mile “destination bridge” rises 13 stories high with special lighting and six overlook spots where people can step aside and enjoy the views. This trail bridge is the fifth largest in the world!
Motorized vehicles are prohibited on all trails within PCCB lands. The only exceptions are for maintenance, law enforcement, and emergency vehicles. This restriction does not apply to a manual-operated or power-driven device designed primarily for use by an individual with a mobility disability, e.g. wheel chair.
Closest Parking is in the city of Sheldahl near the trail. Park legally on one of the side streets.