Class II West Nishnabotna River, IA

The West Nishnabotna River in Pottawattamie County was designated a State Water Trail by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) River Programs in 2010 at the outset of the state program for water trails. This reach of the river had been enjoyed by local paddlers long before state designation. As currently the only state designated water trail in southwest Iowa, experiencing the West Nish (as it is called locally) has great potential for paddlers as well as the surrounding communities. A great deal of culture and history exist alongside the West Nishnabotna. No other state designated water trail in Iowa offers such a clear and strong opportunity to interpret historic migrations, social movements and river modification efforts in tandem with water trail use. (Iowa DNR)