The Great Wander of 2026 - Day 22

 

The Great Wander of 2026

Day 22: June 16th, 2026

States Hiked: Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota (17 total)

Trails Hiked: Riverside Park, Jim Asfoor Trail: Copeland Section, Fish Farm Mounds State Preserve, Neighborhood Loop

Distance Hiked: 2.5 miles, 1.8 miles, 2.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 43 ft., 348 ft., 23 ft.

Final Wander Total: 155.4 miles

Duration: 54m, 42m, 47m

Day 21

Day 20

Day 19

Day 18

Day 17

Day 16

Day 15

Day 14

Day 13

Day 12

Day 11

Day 10

Day 9

Day 8

Day 7

Day 6, Part 2

Day 6, Part 1

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

I've been to Riverside Park more times than I could count, and it's usually a good place to go for an easy walk along the river (so it's not just a clever name) with a lovely bridge and a generally relaxing atmosphere (and at Christmas you can visit with reindeer, so that's fun). On this walk I wasn't alone, do with that information what you will. It was the last day of the wander, I was less than three hours from home, but that nagging "you set out to hike in 17 states/provinces but you didn't bother with the provinces part (again), you're one state away from meeting your goal, and you're within close proximity of a border to pop over, get that arbitrary, self-imposed goal, and go home without an unnecessary feeling of failure despite that being demonstrably untrue" thing. You know how it is. 

Upon parting Riverside Park, I had that choice: go home, or visit Iowa on purpose, and never in a million years did I think the latter would be the tempting option. But, since I noped in Illinois twice rather than, I don't know, visiting Kankakee River State Park and walking with a pair of Clown Shoes (again, that old cliche), I couldn't help myself. I just had to go to Iowa (gods that feels strange to say even after I explained it.) 

Right over the border into eastern Iowa, there was a trail that looked like one of the bluff gains from the previous day's log, but the AllTrails review number was incredibly low. Now, I'm not saying those ratings always mean the trail is dogshit, so it's important to read said reviews to figure out why. Sometimes the reasons are legit, like "the trail is overgrown and poorly maintained." But other times, it's like "it's March in Minnesota and there was mud, no stars" or "it was really windy and obviously that's the trail's fault" or "I've never been hiking before and I tried the hardest trail in the park and I couldn't do that immediately with no preparation, how dare you be hard, trail?" so it's important to gauge why the numbers are low, is what I'm saying. 

"Overgrown, barely a trail, poorly marked," were the reviews, so I opted for the next one, which was Fish Farm Mounds State Preserve. It had a higher rating than the one just north of it, listed as a short out-and-back with solid elevation gains, and fewer complaints of poor conditions. 

You fuckers lied to me.

I can't be too mad, because after all, it is Iowa and I did that to myself. But also, if you're going to have a trail, maybe have a trail and not a vague path through a tick garden buffet and then completely stop bothering before the short trek is done and it's time to turn back? Totally weird concept, I know. 

Then I walked around my neighborhood because my wander wasn't going out like that. 

Thanks, Iowa.