Dubuque is an Upper Midwest city of nearly 60,000. It’s located on the Mississippi River, and, unique for the area, features towering bluffs to its west. Dubuque is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, and has become a regional tourist destination. There are some decent options for running in Dubuque, mainly on its system of interconnected multi-use trails.
The best pace to run in Dubuque is on its Mississippi River trails — including the 2-mile Jaycees Trail and the loop around Schmitt Island. Connected to this is the Bee Branch Greenway, which continues as the longer Heritage Trail all the way to Dyersville (location of the Field of Dreams historic spot). We’ve also put together a ‘runseeing‘ tour combining Dubuque’s historic downtown, Bluffs area, & Loras College/Clarke University campuses. Trail runners will love the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, located south of town.
Runner Notes: West of downtown is hilly! Also, winters are cold & snowy — be prepared!
