Discover Columbus Junction

Columbus Junction brings together a distinctive pedestrian bridge, hiking trails with reading stations, parkland, and a water trail. If you’re looking for hotels in Columbus Junction, your plans can help you focus on the destination: Are you interested in a walking tour, a peaceful paddle, or the annual Columbus Day celebration? You can shape your stay around the activities that interest you most.

Swinging Bridge and Downtown

Swinging Bridge is a 262-foot-long pedestrian suspension bridge in Columbus Junction and a historic landmark of Louisa County. It is located on Highway 92 and gives pedestrians a shortcut between Third Street and Fourth Street to downtown Columbus Junction. It is also a roadside attraction. If you’re planning a visit, check the latest visitor information beforehand.

Storybook Adventure on the Possum Hollow Trail

Storybook Adventure was installed in Swinging Bridge Park in May 2022. Along the Possum Hollow Trail, 15 permanent posts display book pages that you can read while hiking. The route starts at the west entrance to Swinging Bridge and ends at a pergola near Highway 92. This way, the trail combines a hike with reading stations at fixed points.

Parks and Trails in Green Spaces

Nearby Eden Park in Columbus Junction covers 146 acres. Rolling hills and mowed grass trails characterize the landscape, along with grassland, wetlands, streams, and woodland. The area is rich in wildlife. About three miles of trails run in a figure eight through the park. The mowed grass trails pass through prairie and woodland and cross a stream at a low-water ford.

Chinkapin Bluffs Recreation Area is southeast of Columbus Junction and is a 414-acre county park. From a lookout, you can take in views of the Iowa River valley. You can hike, bike, and picnic in the area. A two-mile section of the Hoover Nature Trail crosses the park and connects with its park trails. The trail descriptions emphasize different features: Eden Park has trails in a figure eight, while Chinkapin Bluffs features a trail section that crosses the area.

Chinkapin Bluffs Recreation Area also has a playground and a reservable picnic shelter with a fireplace and grill. Confirm shelter availability before you arrive.

Paddling and When to Visit

The Iowa River Water Trail runs through Columbus Junction; long, peaceful paddling trips are characteristic of this waterway. If you’re choosing between walking trails and paddling, the activities are quite different: the park trails pass through varied landscapes and cross a stream, while peaceful trips are the focus on the water trail.

Columbus Day may also influence when you choose to visit: Columbus Junction celebrates it every year. If you’d like to plan your stay around the celebration, check the event dates before making travel plans.

For the broader travel overview: Louisa County.