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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Trail users can stop at new playscape at Lamson Woods
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Fairfield has gained national attention as a hotbed for artistic talent, cultural diversity and community wellness. A common link among these characteristics is the 30-mile Jefferson County Trails System. The centerpiece of the trails system is the 16-mile Fairfield Loop Trail.
The loop trail was first conceived in 1997 and the final mile was completed in 2011. The Fairfield Loop Trail was recognized as the best trail in the state of Iowa at the 2013 Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference held in Chicago, Illinois.
From rolling hills to wetlands to lakeside views, the Jefferson County Trails System showcases beautiful landscapes of rural Iowa. The trail system features numerous bridges, eight public art displays, five parks, and three lakes. Trail users traveling around the loop will experience over 800 feet of vertical climb, pass by the Golden Domes at Maharishi International University, and visit the National Register of Historic Places Maasdam Barns and Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm.
At 246 feet long, the Louden Bridge is one of the loop trail’s largest bridges. The bridge passes over the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe mainline railroad tracks. The Louden Bridge is not only a bridge, but also a piece of art. The bridge is covered with a galvanized steel superstructure which resembles a barn roof, and includes 171 glazed tile artwork pieces showcasing the Louden Machinery Company. The glazed tile artwork pieces were made by the late Mark Shafer’s high school art classes.
The Jefferson County Trail System connects major parks in the Fairfield area including: Waterworks Park, Chautauqua Park, Lamson Woods State Preserve, Jefferson County Park, and Whitham Woods. Fondly referred to as “Fairfield’s emerald necklace” the loop trail provides a continuous corridor of green space between each of the five parks listed above.
The loop trail is open to walkers, runners, bikers, and cross-country skiers. Motorized vehicles and horseback riding are not allowed on the loop trail. The loop trail is open daily from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. For more trail information, go to www.jeffersoncountytrails.org
Several important improvements were made on the Loop Trail in 2023 and 2024. A Natural Playscape was constructed at Lamson Woods Park in the southeast corner of the loop trail in 2023. This playscape includes four nature-themed pieces of playground equipment, including multiple swings and climbing structures. Also in 2023, a small trailhead parking lot at the corner of North 8th and Gear Ave. was constructed. This much-needed parking lot provides off-street parking for trail users.
The trailhead kiosk maps and accompanying pamphlet maps are being updated, and a second phase of equipment will be installed at the Lamson Woods Natural Playscape in 2025.
From spring through fall of 2024, the trail over Crow Creek was closed on the east edge of town, but that trail reopened in October 2024.
For the 11th year in a row, the Jefferson County Trails Council will host a scavenger hunt along the trail. Participants will pick up punch cards at trails heads or The RIDE Bicycle Shop, and use the map and clues contained therein to find all the punches along the route. The scavenger hunt starts Memorial Day weekend and ends during the Fairfield First Fridays event July 4, when prizes will be awarded.
