This Ominously Named Hike Is Actually One of Iowa’s Best Trails

Having grown up in Iowa, the first thing I think of when I hear the phrase “t-bone” is a terrible accident, likely a car hit square between the side doors by an out-of-control semi making a blind turn out in the boonies. So when I first learned about the T-Bone Trail in rural western Iowa, I thought it sounded like a scary hiking trail in Iowa. I imagined it as an ominous warning of a trail that crosses a blind highway, or maybe a set of railroad tracks. Fortunately, that was just my mind running wild, and the trail name is actually a mouth-watering cattle reference—as in a prime cut of steak, not a gruesome car collision. 

Why Is It Called T-Bone Trail

When you get to Audubon, where you'll find one of the T-bone trailheads, you’ll quickly learn that the trail's strange name refers to a fascinating slice of Iowa agricultural history. Operation T-bone was a local cattle project designed to create a broader market for Iowa steaks in the 1950s. The project involved farmers loading their live cattle onto a train and riding with them all the way to the Chicago market. The train, nicknamed “the T-bone special,” garnered global media attention and was a successful venture for 14 years. Although live cattle transport to auctions is no longer a local tradition, Operation T-Bone is still celebrated annually with the local T-Bone Day in Audubon. It happens in early August and features parades, fireworks, a tractor show, and steak sandwiches.  The aptly named T-Bone Trail starts in Audubon and is a 21-mile rail trail that follows the route of the former railway that carried cattle from Audubon to Chicago. 

What the Hike Is Actually Like 

The T-bone Trail is widely regarded as a regional hidden gem and also one of the best hikes in Iowa.  It’s been recognized by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and is part of the Great American Rail-Trail, a 3,700-mile cross-country trail currently in development across the U.S. The trail is easy, flat, and entirely paved, albeit rugged, with a mix of asphalt and concrete. It’s partially wooded (and shady), very quiet except where it passes under Interstate 80, and features old trestle bridges, park benches, and views of the East Nishnabotna River. If you see anyone else more than a few miles down the trail, they are usually on bikes, but you will also see people walking near the trailheads in the townships of Audubon, Exira, Hamlin, Brayton, and Atlantic.

What To Know Before You Go

The T-bone Trail is mostly remote, with long distances between small towns that offer few services beyond local gas stations and small cafes. If you start or end in Audubon, make a point to see Albert the Bull, one of the 9 World’s Largest Attractions in Iowa. Otherwise, the largest town on the trail is Atlantic, Iowa, where you can find more amenities. Trail parking and public restrooms are available at Albert the Bull Park in Audubon, near the trail in Brayton, and at the Atlantic Trailhead. Additional trailhead parking can be found in Exira near Highway 71 and County Road F58, and in Hamlin, near Highway 71 and Highway 44.

While it might be one of the most unusual hiking trail names and one of the most rural trails, the T-bone Trail is also one of the easiest and most scenic trails in Iowa. Its heritage also makes it a worthy stop to add to your Iowa road trip bucket list.