CF offers plenty of spots for getting back to nature

By Aidan Fobian on September 20, 2023

With the weather cooling down in Iowa, it’s a good idea to take a trip outside and enjoy the weather before being snowed in. Some may not know that the Cedar Falls and Waterloo area have many places to go if one would like to escape from the bustling life. Here are 5 places in the local area that are worth visiting. Curt Fobian, a citizen and avid cyclist who has lived in the area for 29 years, had this to say about the area’s many outside activities. “They are a great resource for all to get out and explore while enjoying their community.”

Pfeiffer Park

Just past Pepper’s bar and grill and down Grand Blvd a park can be found, with a playground, baseball field, and multiple trails to walk. This place is great for people who want a place to find some good trails to bike or walk through, there are also plenty of unpaved areas to explore that lead down into more wooded areas.

Sherwood Park

Just off Greenhill Rd going northeast, Sherwood park can be found, a smaller park with a few benches and places to sit, however there are a lot of trails to walk, including a few trails that lead into and around Hartman reserve and George wyth. This place is good for people who want to just relax and watch the Cedar River flow.

Washington Park

Taking East 9th street all the way down will lead to Washington park, a rather expansive and open area, with multiple trails and a playground near the entrance. This is yet another park that features many, many trails to bike or walk through, but also has some nice scenic areas to sit and relax. This place is great for people who want somewhere open and clear, it is mostly hidden away from the bustling town.

Trolley Bridge

This area, while not a park nor an expansive place, is still rather unique to the area and is now especially eye-catching due to its repainting thanks to the Waterloo Youth Art Team, giving this 107 year old bridge new life after being vandalized over the years. Being built back in 1916, It still stands today as a trail, although the trail itself is rather overgrown in areas. The photo of the unpainted bridge was taken from the John Marving Railroad Bridge Photography website.

Hartman Reserve Nature Center

Hartman reserve is one of the most popular outdoor areas in the Cedar Falls area, though its trails lead all the way out into the Waterloo areas. The nature center itself has existed since the 1920s but was purchased by the YMCA with a donation from John C. Hartman in 1938, it was then purchased by Black Hawk County in 1976 and is still greatly maintained to this day. Hartman has stood as a place for everyone to visit and experience, whether that be alone, with family, or even on a school trip. All photos taken from other sources.

Sources:

https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Black-Hawk/Park/Hartman-Reserve-Nature-Center/Facility/Interpretive-Center-Community-Room.aspx

https://www.cedarfalls.com/192/Hartman-Reserve-Nature-Center#:~:text=The%20original%2056%20acres%20of,1976%2C%201990%2C%20and%201994.

https://www.hartmanreserve.org/history.html

http://johnmarvigbridges.org/Waterloo%20Trolley%20Bridge.html

https://www.kwwl.com/news/youth-art-team-curbs-vandalism-through-artwork/article_0ea9db69-285e-5ec8-a1f1-f3980deffbc4.html