Railroad: Madrid High Bridge, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad
Location: Madrid, Iowa
Date: Unknown
Credit: Public Domain
The Madrid High Bridge is a 13-story steel trestle that stands above the Des Moines River in Madrid, Iowa. Built in 1913, the bridge carried the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific’s line between Chicago and Omaha, an important connection for both passenger and freight trains traveling to and from the West Coast. The railroad completely rebuilt the bridge with a steel deck and concrete piers in 1973.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific, better known as the Milwaukee Road, declared bankruptcy in 1977, and the bridge came under the management of Union Pacific. Freight service continued on the line until 2003. Two years later, Union Pacific sold the route to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, which laid the groundwork for the trail to open in 2008.
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Trail: High Trestle Trail
Trail length: 25 miles
Date: October 4, 2021
Credit: Drake Hokanson, courtesy of the photographer
Trail users walk through artist David B. Dahlquist’s public art installation “From Here to There,” which extends over the length of the trestle. The 43 steel “portals” represent a “gateway,” and at night blue LEDs illuminate the bridge. The trail is a central connection along the Great American Rail-Trail.
The High Trestle Trail passes through five Iowa towns and attracts thousands of visitors annually. The trail has bolstered local businesses and helped Iowa earn the nickname “World Capital of Trails,” which is also a testament to the state’s once-dense rail network.
