Northern Iowa River Run

Motorcycle Roads & Rides > Routes > United States > Iowa

Average Rating - This road has been rated by 8 visitors

State: Iowa
Date Submitted: March 1, 2000
Submitted by: Anonymous
Motorcycle Road Length: 60 Miles

Written Directions

Start your drive in the town of Marquette, Iowa. Take route 18 south to the town of McGregor and then get on route 340 south. This road later changes names to route County Route 56 and will run into route 52 (Near Guttenburg) which you want to take south until you approach Millville and get on County Hwy C9Y continuing south. Stay on this through N. Buena Vista, Balltown and Sherrill. Then when you get to route 52, take that south into Dubuque.

Scenery

This route takes you through some picture perfect little dairy and agriculture farms and along side the Mississippi River. You will see old river towns and many of the boats and barges that travel along the old Mississippi. Along the way you will travel next to some giant bluffs that give you a great view of the river valley.

Road Quality

You couldn't ask for a better motorcycle road in the Midwest. This road continually takes you up and down along a collection of bluffs that travel along side the Mississippi river. At some points you will have some awesome cliff-side driving that will give you a birds-eye view of the river. You have a good number of twists and turns along the way to keep you smiling when you're not smiling about the scenery.

Roadside Amenities

Route amenities described from while traveling from north to south. Effigy Mounds National Monument, off of 76 just north of Marquette, there are 200 preserved Indian mounds that are about 2500 years old. The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor Center educates you on the 200,000 acre wildlife preserve. This preserve hugs the Mississippi from as far north as Wabasha Minnesota to as far south as Rock Island Illinois. Town of McGregor: Offers a Main Street lined with shops and inns and is the home of the very first Ringling Brothers Circus which began shows in McGregor as early as the 1870s. Stop at Pikes Peak State Park for great views of the meeting of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers. In the town of Guttenberg you will be able to take a walking tour and see the town's impressive collection of limestone buildings built in the middle of the 19th century. Also the River Front Park offers places to picnic and enjoy the view of the passing Mississippi River. There is also an observation platform that gives you a good look at 'Lock and Dam No. 10.' Just after you leave town there will be a scenic overlook perched on top of a bluff. In the town of North Buena Vista you'll see some impressive buildings constructed in a manner that allows them to cling to the side of limestone bluffs. Dubuque, Iowa's oldest town, has become a modern small city with plenty of hotels and restaurants to offer travelers. You may want to complete your trip with a visit to the Mississippi River Museum.

Additional Info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .

Nickname (optional) Anonymous

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Reviewed by Guest on December 10, 2010 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Dandu
motorcycle_year: 1998
motorcycle_make: Honda
Comment: For those who love traveling along the country side beside the flowing river with peaceful silence all around you, the Northern Iowa Riven Run seems to be the perfect choice!! I love rides like this and have been to a few which my friends have recommended and every single one of them were an experience!! With the map and detailed directions about the roads to be taken, I am sure this will be a safe ride to undertake either alone or with friends!!Vehicle Wrap
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Reviewed by Guest on January 14, 2009 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Justin Temme
motorcycle_year: 2000
motorcycle_make: Honda
motorcycle_type: Sport-Touring
Comment: We use this section on our bi-annual tour of IL, IA, MN and WI. The ride is called The Flat 4 Tour and you can find us on facebook.
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Reviewed by Guest on November 14, 2008 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: IaGhost
motorcycle_year: 2000
motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson
motorcycle_type: Touring
Comment: This is a spectacular drive, there is a new restaurant/brewery in McGregor just south of Marquette called Old Man River. Food was great, beer wasn't ready yet, and the atmosphere was awesome. The building was totally refurbished and they kept it open but still we were able to have our "privacy".
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Reviewed by Guest on August 5, 2008 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Kelly Moore
motorcycle_year: 2006
motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson
motorcycle_type: Touring
Comment: This stretch of road is gorgeous. My wife and I loved every bit of it and the scenery is spectacular.
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Reviewed by Guest on December 21, 2007 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Rob
motorcycle_year: 1996
motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson
motorcycle_type: Touring
Comment: Great stretch of road! The roads to the north and south along the river are just as nice! A good day trip!!!
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Reviewed by Guest on November 8, 2007 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Renne
motorcycle_year: 1988
motorcycle_make: Harley-Davidson
motorcycle_type: Cruiser
Comment: yep this is a good one by Iowa standards. I do recommend however heading just few hours south and a lot better stuff is in MO
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Reviewed by Guest on November 7, 2007 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Red
motorcycle_year: 2001
motorcycle_make: Kawasaki
motorcycle_type: Sport
Comment: I rode this one and really liked the stops along the way ... some for scenery, some for history
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Reviewed by Guest on November 5, 2007 (0 out of 0 members found this review useful.)
Creator: Randy
motorcycle_year: 99
motorcycle_make: Yamaha
motorcycle_type: Sport-Touring
Comment: A lot of great places to stop and eat at along the way.
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