List of historic auto trails in Iowa

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Prior to the primary highway system which exists in the U.S. state of Iowa today, signed highway routes known as auto trails were registered with the Iowa State Highway Commission. Organizations, such as the Lincoln Highway Association, volunteered to sponsor and register certain roads with the highway commission. Each organization chose their colors and designed route markers to guide motorists along the way. Eventually, confusion reigned and the highway commission took action. Beginning in 1920, primary road numbers were assigned to registered routes. Some of these registered routes, most notably the Lincoln Highway, are still famous today, while most have been long forgotten.

List of auto trails

* Atlantic–Yellowstone–Pacific Highway     
National route.
Analogous to Iowa Highway 9, U.S. Route 71, U.S. Route 18, U.S. Route 218, and U.S. Route 20
* Black Diamond Trail   
Marshalltown to Cedar Falls 
Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 14 and U.S. Route 20
* Black Hawk Trail   
Davenport to Davenport  
* Black Hills Highway     
National Route.
Analogous to U.S. Route 18
* Blue Grass Route   
Council Bluffs to Burlington
Counties: Adams
Analogous to U.S. Route 34
* Blue J Highway   
Lineville to Des Moines 
Roughly analogous to U.S. Route 65 and Iowa Highway 14
* Burlington Way   
Burlington to Cresco 
Roughly analogous to U.S. Route 61, Iowa Highway 70, U.S. Route 218, Iowa Highway 150, and U.S. Route 63
* Capitol Highway   
Lineville to Des Moines 
Analogous to U.S. Route 69
* Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa, and McGregor Trail   
Ottumwa to McGregor 
Also known as the Park Highway.
Analogous to Iowa Highway 149 and U.S. Route 151
* Cedar Rapids, Urbana–Independence Short Line   
Cedar Rapids to Independence 
Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 150
* Center Point Motor Club   
Cedar Rapids to St. Paul, Minn. 
Roughly analogous to Iowa Highway 150 and U.S. Route 63
* Chariton and Leon Short Line   
Leon to Chariton 
Analogous to U.S. Route 69 and U.S. Route 34
* Custer Battlefield Highway   
Omaha, Nebr. to Glacier National Park 
Analogous to Interstate 29 and Iowa Highway 12
* Daniel Boone Trail   
St. Louis, Mo. to St. Paul, Minn.
Counties: Boone
Analogous to U.S. Route 63, Iowa Highway 163, Iowa Highway 415, Iowa Highway 17, U.S. Route 30, and U.S. Route 169
* Denison – Sioux City Cut-Off   
Denison to Sioux City  
* Detroit, Lincoln, and Denver Highway   
Denver, Colo. to Detroit, Mich.  
* Diagonal Trail   
Davenport to Lake Park  
* Diamond Trail   
Des Moines to Iowa City
Counties: Benton 
* Eldora – State Center and Colfax Highway   
Colfax to Eldora  
* Everett Powers Highway   
Des Moines to Knoxville  
* Farmers Highway   
Exira to Greenfield  
* Glacier Trail   
St. Louis, Mo. to Glacier National Park  
* Golden Rod Highway   
Nebraska City, Nebr. to Bedford  
* Grand Line   
Lamoni to Hopeville  
* Great White Way   
Council Bluffs to Davenport
Counties: Adair
Current routes: U.S. Route 6
* Green Crescent   
Muscatine to Cedar Rapids  
* Hamlin Short Route   
Elk Horn to Guthrie Center  
* Harding Highway   
Los Angeles, Calif. to Washington, D.C.  
* Hawkeye Cut-Off   
Sioux City to Fort Dodge  
* Hawkeye Highway   
Sioux City to Dubuque
Counties: Black Hawk
Current routes: U.S. Route 20, U.S. Route 218
* Herbert Hoover Highway   
Iowa City to Lowden  
* Imperial Highway   
Sioux Falls, S. Dak. to Lansing  
* Indian Trail   
Tama to Eldora  
* I.O.A. Short Line   
Council Bluffs to Davenport  
* Jefferson Highway   
New Orleans, La. to Winnipeg, Man.  
* John D. Parmalee Trail   
Des Moines to Pleasantville  
* King's Highway   
Cedar Rapids to Davenport  
* Lincoln Hawkeye Pike   
Clinton to West Union  
* Lincoln Highway   
San Francisco, Calif. to New York, N.Y.  
* Lineville–Indianola Short Line   
Lineville to Indianola  
* Marshalltown–Colfax Short Line   
Colfax to Marshalltown  
* Marysville–Carroll Trail (M.C. Trail)   
Maryville, Mo. to Carroll  
* Mississippi Valley Highway   
Louisiana to Minnesota 
Followed the same route as the Burlington Way.
* Muscatine – Des Moines Short Line   
Des Moines to Muscatine  
* National Parks Pike   
Yellowstone National Park to Madison, Wis.  
* Okoboji Trail   
Des Moines to Arnolds Park  
* Old Military Trail   
Charles City to McGregor  
* Perry Pike   
Guthrie Center to Ogden  
* Pershing Way   
New Orleans, La. to Winnipeg, Man.  
* Rainbow Trail   
Hawarden to Dubuque  
* Red Ball Route   
St. Louis, Mo. to St. Paul, Minn.  
* Red Line Route   
Missouri state line to Villisca  
* Red X Route — 87 miles (140 km) 
Iowa City to Dubuque 
Current routes: Iowa Highway 1 and U.S. Route 151
Passed through Iowa City, Mount Vernon, Anamosa, Monticello, and Dubuque
* River to River Route   
Council Bluffs to Davenport
Counties: Audubon 
* Southwest Trails   
Kansas City, Mo. to Chicago, Ill.
Counties: Appanoose
Current routes: Iowa Highway 5
* Star Route   
Osceola to Des Moines  
* Tall Corn Route   
Sioux City to McGregor  
* Tourists Route   
Mount Ayr to Des Moines  
* Washington Highway   
Seattle, Wash. to Washington, D.C.  
* Waubonsie Trail   
Nebraska City, Nebr. to Keokuk  
* Webster Trail   
Keokuk to Mt. Pleasant  
* Whiteway–7–Highway   
Omaha, Nebr. to Chicago, Ill.  
* Wilson Highway   
Missouri state line to Emmons, Minn.  
* Woodward–Ogden Cut-Off   
Des Moines to Ogden  

References

  1. Iowa Registered Highway Routes: 1914–1925 (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 1986. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  2. Iowa Department of Transportation. "Routes and Roads Listed by County". Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  3. Junior Road Map: Eastern Iowa (Map). Rand McNally & Company. 1926. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  4. Junior Road Map: Western Iowa (Map). Rand McNally & Company. 1926. Retrieved March 24, 2010.