Mississippi Riverfront Trail

The trails along the Mississippi River are signature running spots in the Davenport/Quad cities area. We’ve created separate posts for the Riverfront Trail on the north side, and the Great River Trail on the south side.

The Riverfront Trail runs for 11 miles on the north side of the Mississippi River, between Credit Island to the west and Bettendorf to the east. It’s a paved, dedicated multi-use trail, with great water views much of the way. We’ve divided the route into two sections, from downtown Davenport.

Downtown to Credit Island. From LeClaire Park, it’s 3.3 miles west to Credit Island, passing Centennial Park and then along the road/bridge to Credit Island. Option to add on here with a 3.7 mile loop around the island (Credit Island Park) on a combination path and traffic-free road.

Downtown East to Bettendorf. The longer section heads east for 7 miles along the river, ending at S Bellingham St. in Bettendorf. It’s entirely along the river for the first 4.7 miles, with great water views. From LeClaire Park, it’s 2 miles to Linday Park and 3.75 miles to I-74. About 1 mile east of I-74, the trail leaves the water for 1 mile, rejoining it for 1/2 mile at the Pat and Jack Bush Scenic Overlook, with the final 1 mile away from the river. A multi-use trail continues from S Bellingham St. east along Highway 67/State St. in Riversale for another couple of miles.

Bridge & Loop Options. The best bridge for crossing is Arsenal Bridge, though there’s also a pedestrian path across the Centennial Bridge. For a fun loop, there’s a Water Taxi just east of I-74, where you can then run back along the Great River Trail.