Hiking the Arboretum Trails

          Finding places to hike during summer is easy but a series of trails at Dubuque’s Marshall Park and Arboretum might fly under the radar. Marshall Park, a 50-acre park, has the unique designation of having a volunteer staff that keeps the arboretum’s flowers, shrubs, and trees in shape. While browsing the floral displays, visitors can see the extensive collections of various species. But also included on the grounds are three specific wooded pathways worth checking out: the everchanging Storybook Trail, the extensive Legacy Tree Trail, and the worldly Conifer Trail.

            The Storybook Trail, located near the park entrance, features a new book monthly mixing an outdoor reading experience with nature. The Marshall Park website lists the entire year’s book collection. The June selection was Summer Color by Diana Murray, July will feature 5 Little Ducks by Denise Fleming, and August will display Roll, Roll, Little Pea by Cecile Bergame and Magali Attiogre. Carnegie Stout Library assists in selecting the texts with the Arboretum staff, and the Dubuque Morning Optimist Club sponsors the book trail.

            The Legacy Tree Trail comprises many different segments and shares the same trailhead as the Storybook Trail but is far more extensive. Divided by a stream, the south side features the Legacy Tree Trail. Trees are labeled and easy to view via mown trails. The trails on the other north side of the creek are called the Woodland Trail, the Hydrangea Trail, the Garden Ridge Trail, the Woodland Canopy Trail, and the Lookout Loop Trail. These options join with the south side of the arboretum.

            The Conifer Trail is comprised of three separate collections. The Walter Collection, planted in 1995, highlights trees from Japan, Mongolia, Italy, and New York. Planted in 1996, the Hermsen Collection contains trees with unusual shapes and colors from Canada, eastern Asia, and Korea. Last, the Edna Mozena Collection focuses on smaller conifers and unique plants from around the world and was planted in 2019. Visitors follow the limestone markers on the trail. A brochure listing the trees and characteristics can be found on the Marshall Park website.

            In addition to the beautiful flower gardens, the wooded trails create a beautiful setting for further exploration. The trails are a mix of woodchipped, ADA-compliant, paved, and gravel surfaces. They deserve to be explored.