News

DES MOINES, IA (Oct. 17, 2025) – ICON Water Trails announced last night at the Wild Prairie Showdown, its fundraising event in partnership with the Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF), that it has received a $1.3 million gift from the Conservation Acceleration Fund, a dynamic water quality investment tool held by GOF. These dollars will be [...]

The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails have announced the recipients of their 2025 annual awards recognizing leadership in conservation and recreation. John Swanson, Polk County water resources supervisor, received the Creative Conservationist Award for his role in advancing water quality through Polk County’s “Batch and Build” program, which has implemented 185 practices treating [...]

DES MOINES, IA (Oct. 6, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce the selection of local leaders for their annual awards. These honors, the Creative Conservationist and the Waveshaper, celebrate those in the community making extraordinary efforts for conservation and recreation in the region. John Swanson, Polk County [...]

On a hot summer day in Iowa, it’s easy to find bicyclists buzzing along trails and paddlers floating down rivers and lakes. Many of these bicyclists, paddlers and anglers contribute to the local economy by visiting shops to buy gear before a ride, gassing up their car or relaxing at a restaurant or brewery. Iowa’s [...]

Cleaner waterways, updated recreational opportunities and a boost to economic development are a few of the outcomes of a partnership between two statewide organizations. The Great Outdoors Foundation and Iowa Confluence Water Trails are leading an effort to activate water trails and improve conservation efforts throughout the state. Their projects have found success with public-private [...]

Construction continues on the ICON Water Trails project South of the Scott Avenue bridge at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers in Des Moines, Aug. 26, 2025. To view the full article, visit the Des Moines Register.  

The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails has launched the fifth annual Wild Prairie Showdown, an eight-week peer-to-peer campaign to raise awareness, support and capital for conservation and recreation efforts in Central Iowa. To read the full article, visit the Business Record.

DES MOINES, IA (Aug. 21, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce the launch of the fifth annual Wild Prairie Showdown, a peer-to-peer campaign advancing conservation and recreation in the region. The Wild Prairie Showdown is a vibrant grassroots event that will conclude with a pseudo-pageant in which [...]

DES MOINES, IA (July 21, 2025) – The Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails are pleased to announce that the annual Wild Prairie Showdown awards are open for nominations. These honors celebrate exceptional contributions to conservation and recreation from community members involved with the Great Outdoors Foundation and ICON Water Trails, aligning with the [...]

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board today approved Community Attraction and Tourism grant awards in Des Moines, Floyd, Harlan and Hardin County. CAT grants are designed to boost artistic, cultural and recreational projects that improve the quality of life in Iowa. The board approved a $1 million CAT grant for the ICON Water Trails project [...]