The best cycling routes in Smith'S Island Recreation Area

This bridge parallels the course of I-74 across the Mississippi River, keeping cyclists and other pedestrians safely away from the fast-moving vehicles. The bridge connects to cycleways on either side of the river, and also has a viewing area with an oculus.

The Government Bridge, also known as the Arsenal Bridge, spans the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. Built in 1896, the bridge has two levels: the upper deck serves the Iowa Interstate Railroad, while the lower deck carries vehicle traffic and has lanes on each side for pedestrians and cyclists. It features a swing section to allow river navigation. The current bridge is the fourth at this location; the first, built in 1856, was the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi. Subsequent bridges were built after damage from collisions, ice storms, and tornadoes.

Vander Veer Botanical Park, spanning 33 acres, is one of the earliest botanical parks west of the Mississippi River. The park was added to the Davenport Register of Historic Properties on August 4, 1993. Only closed on Mondays, this park is open every other day of the week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Schwiebert Riverfront Park offers a variety of features, including art sculptures, a digital playground, a fountain, a great lawn, an observation shelter, a parking lot, a promenade, restrooms, a stage, a triangle lawn, an urban concrete beach, and a walk/jog path/trail. The park was named after former Mayor Mark Schwiebert, who lived from 1989 to 2009, for his dedication to enhancing public access to the riverfront. The park hosts live music events and is a picturesque setting for leisure and for recreation.

The Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House are open from 9  a.m. to 5  p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 5  p.m. on Sundays. The property was originally owned by descendants of John Deere but is now managed by the William Butterworth Foundation. These historic homes host educational and cultural events year-round and provide meeting spaces for nonprofit organizations. Tours are offered to visitors, but they can also be admired from the outside as you ride by on your bike.

Sylvan Slough is a river in Illinois that passes Rock Island. If you follow the river further east, you'll get wonderful views to Rock Island Arsenal and Sylvan Island.

The Duck Creek Trail is a paved multiuse path that runs through Davenport. It connects urban areas with parks and residential areas on mostly off-road trails.

The Mississippi River Trail (MRT) is a long distance bike trail that traverses 10 states. It travels for over 2,000 continuous miles on each side of the river, between the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and the Gulf of Mexico. It is still work in progress but when complete the route will consist of trails and bike-friendly roads, with “MRT” signs identifying the way. In Illinois, the MRT route goes through some of the state’s most diverse landscapes and provides miles of great cycling. It hugs historic canals, crosses unglaciated hills, parallels the Rock and Fox Rivers, and includes one of America’s first rail-trails.