17 Miles of Mountain Biking in Dubuque
Discover trails of all skill levels in the heart of #WhereIowaStarted
The History of the Trails
Dubuque's mountain biking efforts have been led by a volunteer group, Tri-State Mountain Bike Riders (TMBR). This non-profit was founded in 2015 to transform #WhereIowaStarted into a Midwest mountain bike destination. To date, TMBR has spearheaded and led the charge for three trail systems resulting in 17 miles of trails in the region.
Hear from Local Rider Sam Wilson
I was raised in Chicagoland, but my parents are both Dubuquers and I moved here after high school to escape suburbia. I love the outdoors and Dubuque was always a favorite destination when I was growing up. Top places to explore are the mountain bike trails at Proving Grounds, Interstate Power Preserve, and Cloie Creek.
2.5 Miles at Cloie Creek
The first mountain bike trail effort by TMBR was the Cloie Creek Trail in Asbury, Iowa on the west end of the Dubuque area. 100% fundraised for by TMBR, this trail includes 2.5 miles of professionally crafted trails that include rollers and berms. This path is fun for all ages and skill levels. Riding with a youngster? This trail features a small BMX style jump line popular with kids. Green & Blue difficulty trails can be found along the way. Learn more and view trail map.
6.5 Miles at Interstate Power Preserve
This trail is located in the 88 mile forest preserve maintained by Dubuque County Conservation. Nestled in the rolling grassland, restored prairie, and forested woodland is the 6.5 miles of action packed trails designated for mountain biking. Professionally built, this trail has rollers and berms and jumps with tracks for beginners to advanced level riders. This trail was also a TMBR project and 100% fundraised. Learn more and view trail map.
8 Miles at Proving Grounds
Proving Grounds is maintained by Dubuque County Conservation and named after the area of land once used by John Deere Dubuque Works to ‘prove’ and test equipment. This trail system was professionally built with swift timber runs, dedicated jump lines, flow, rollers and berms. Trail difficulty is a mix of Blue & Black trails with a beginner loop and a small skills park featuring six wooden features. Learn more and view trail map.
Hear from Local Rider Josie Andre
I would describe the trails we have in Dubuque as all-around for skill levels. There’s trails like Chloe Creek which would be perfect for those who are just starting to mountain bike, but also have more difficult sections that can be a fun way to challenge yourself. We have a lot of flow trails in Dubuque too, like IPP and the Proving Grounds. These are both trails that any skill level could ride at. Both of these trail systems offer more difficult, and most difficult trails that can get the heart pumping.