Harmony Stateline Trail Officially Open

On June 6 at 10:20 a.m., six wagons full of 76 people started off from the splash pad in Harmony to Niagara Cave. The wagons took the new, recently completed Stateline Bike Trail from Harmony which also forks off to the Iowa border. Twenty workers helped with the ride as flaggers at road crossings, drivers, photographers, and lunch servers.

For people who had traveled the Root River Trail, this trail was a bit different. While the Root River Trail runs on an old railroad bed with few inclines or turns, the Stateline Trail has several 90 degree turns and follows the rolling fields. This provides bikers a perfect opportunity to coast down hills and to try to ride that speed up the next hill.

The hills are marked with the typical hill warning signs so the bikers will not be surprised. These inclines are not as steep as some on the trail from Harmony to Preston. Requirements for trails have changed since the Harmony-Preston Trail was finished in 1997.

There are also several areas that warn of possible water on the trail. These areas have a sensor that automatically trips a gate arm and flashing lights and are posted with “Road May Flood” warning signs.

There are fewer trees on this trail; the trees that were close to the trail were saved with the trail snaking around the trees. Much of the trail travels between fields of corn and grain with farmsteads visible in the distance. Wild flowers bloomed along the trailside.

As the wagons rolled along the trail, the riders got to know each other. Larry Peterson whose family had owned some of the land, shared with his wagon the exact spot designated as the highest point in Harmony Township. He related to his wagon that they would always plow around the spot marked by a plaque when working the field. His family would go there to watch fireworks on the Fourth. Now the trail goes right over the spot.

Sisters Georgia Hermanson and Verlaine Wilson shared that they had worked at Niagara Cave as teenagers. Out of nine siblings, only two had not worked there. They told of taking four or five tours through the cave each day. At that time, people were allowed to touch the walls. Couples would often climb up on Kissing Rock for a kiss.

Many couples have gotten married in the cave through the years. One of the sisters told of being asked if she planned on getting married in the cave. Her answer? “I’m gonna get buried in a hole – I’m not gonna get married in one!”

When a fork appeared in the trail; the wagon caravan veered right to proceed to Niagara Cave. The other fork leads to the Iowa border; eventually the trail will be connected to the Iowa trail systems.

After about a 40-minute ride, the wagons arrived at Niagara Cave. A picnic lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches with chips, chocolate chip cookies, watermelon and ice cold water waited for the riders in the shade of the pavilion. The lunch was provided by Harmony Foods, Niagara Cave, Asahi Loft and Thrivent. Tim Little entertained the diners during lunch, singing and playing his guitar.

Following lunch, Kerry Kingsley of the Harmony EDA led people back to the trail for a formal ribbon cutting to officially open the trail. Kingsley called the trail the “first step to becoming an interstate trail.”

Agreements had been signed by the landowners in 2016; the trail was completed after almost 10 years, in 2025. Kingsley introduced the 15 grantors who had previously owned the land used for the trail land and thanked them. He also introduced Craig Blommer, formerly with the DNR, who had helped build the Harmony Stateline trail as well as the Root River Trail. Kingsley declared, “Craig’s built more trails in the state than anyone else!”

Kingsley gave Vicky Tribon a new name, “The Trail Lady,”  before the ribbon counting, declaring that Vicky never gives up! Vicky has served as head of the Harmony Trails Commission since its inception in 1989.

Vicky thanked everyone for attending and helping them celebrate the trail opening. She looks forward to another such ride soon when Iowa connects with the trail.

Rep. Greg Davids (R-Preston) and Rep. Rick Hansen (D-Dakota County) attended the ribbon cutting. Davids carried the bill in the state legislature for the trail funding in 2019.

Hansen serves on the Capital Investment Committee and also is one of the landowners on the trail. He told of how the committee travels the state to view proposed projects. One of the reasons the Harmony Stateline Trail was selected for development were that options for purchase were already in place with the landowners.

Another reason was that there was existing infrastructure already in place for the trail to be connected to Preston and the Root River Trail. In the 1990s a trail system was declared in the area; trails just needed funding. The local support and enthusiastic volunteers in Harmony made it easier to proceed with the trail.

Following the ribbon cutting, Mark Bishop and Greg Davids cut pieces of the ribbon that had been cut to share with the participants as a souvenir of the day.

The wagon riders were given some time to enjoy the grounds and the mini-golf course at Niagara Cave before they loaded up for the return ride to Harmony on the new trail.