Sunderbruch Park Trails

If you are looking for running trails in the Quad Cities, Sunderbruch Park is a great choice.  Sunderbruch is a 134 acre park with several miles of trails for running, hiking, biking and even some equestrian trails.  Dogs are allowed on a leash.

Directions

Sunderbruch Park is located in the South-West part of Davenport.  The address is 4675 Telegraph Rd, Davenport, IA 52804.  The park amenities include a picnic shelter, a kiosk with a trail map, public restrooms and a large, paved parking lot.

Trail Information

The trails are marked with signs to indicate if they are for running, biking or horses, and also the degree of difficulty.  There is a wide paved path that runs through the middle of the park with an outlet at Ricker Hill Road.

 Neatly mowed paths lead off pavement, circling lush fields of wild flowers.  There are informational signs along the way describing the different prairie grasses and flowers.

Dirt, single track trails zig-zag throughout the park with varying degrees of elevation change.  The terrain is ever changing from paved, to dirt, to rock, to grass.  There are creek and log-crossings, and miles of beautiful, shady, wooded trails.

I prefer the wider, less busy equestrian trails.

As much as I love the wooded trails for running, I can’t help but be drawn to the dreamy fields of wildflowers!

The best part is that you get all of this right here in the Quad Cities!

I thought I would focus my trail tips on personal safety this time, in light of a recent incident in a nearby community where a young woman was abducted and murdered while she was out for a run on a country road.  My family and friends have always worried for my safety on these isolated trails in the woods and maybe because this murder was here in the Midwest, it definitely made me re-think a few things.  I don’t want to stop doing the things I love out of fear of what could happen, but I can certainly take some extra safety precautions.

  • Try to run with a buddy if you can.  The furry one pictured above is my favorite!
  • Let someone know the details of when and where you are going and when you expect to be back.
  • Be aware of your surroundings and keep your cell phone with you.
  • Get a personal safety app on your phone that will alert friends/family that you are in distress, at the push of a button.
  • Carry pepper spray and a personal safety alarm with you.  I found both items on Amazon for under ten dollars each.  The pepper spray, made especially for runners/hikers straps to the palm of your hand.  The alarm is the size of a key chain and could easily clip onto your running shorts for quick access.

Stay safe and enjoy the run!