The 11th Bacoon Ride will include a slight detour to bypass the Raccoon River Valley Trail bridge in Adel that was damaged in a fire.
The bridge is at the heart of the annual 71-mile ride along the Raccoon River Valley Trail. Dallas County Conservation said it will cost about $896,000 to repair the bridge.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition, which hosts the annual ride set for Saturday, June 14, said in a news release that a detour has been established thanks to a partnership with Dallas County Conservation, the City of Adel, Adel Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol and Iowa DOT to coordinate a detour around the bridge.
A portion of the proceeds from the “Hogwarts” themed Bacoon Ride will be donated to Dallas County Conservation to aid bridge reconstruction.
The detour will go from S. 6th St. in Adel to Prospect Ave., where riders would then rejoin the Raccoon River Valley Trail as they head east toward Waukee.
Raccoon River Valley Trail bridge closes following fire
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a structure fire on the east end of the bridge around 2 a.m. on May 12. A news release from Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said fire crews from six nearby towns assisted Adel firefighters in extinguishing the blaze.
Three 19-year-olds from Adel were arrested and charged in connection with the fire, which severely damaged and closed the Raccoon River Valley Trail bridge.
More: 3 teenagers charged in connection with Raccoon River Valley Trail bridge fire, arson
Daniel Sheeder, Ezra Coulter and Leola Pierce allegedly entered an area beneath the bridge by breaching a locked chain-link fence and started a fire under the structure. Embers from the fire allegedly ignited the bridge above.
Bacoon Ride to donate portion of proceeds to Dallas County Conservation
A fire damaged the Raccoon River Valley Trail bridge over the Raccoon River in Adel on May 12, 2025.
The rebuilding process is already underway.
The Dallas County Supervisors approved a $48,000 agreement with Snyder & Associates during its May 27 meeting for design services for the bridge repairs.
More: New study finds cycling has $1.4 billion economic impact on Iowa each year
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition said that individuals can support Dallas County Conservation’s efforts to rebuild the bridge by donating directly to the organization at dallascountyiowa.gov/501/Conservation, or by registering for the Bacoon Ride through Eventbrite.
“Our hearts go out to the City of Adel as well as to Dallas County Conservation, who are showing tremendous leadership in this dramatic moment,” Iowa Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Luke Hoffman said in a news release. “We want both our registered riders, residents of the area, and the general public to understand that the Bacoon Ride will continue to support Dallas County Conservation with a portion of proceeds from ticket sales going directly to the county based on the number of registered riders.”
Riders make their way into Dallas Center on the Raccoon River Valley Trail as part of the BACooN Ride on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
Bacoon Ride brings together love of bacon, biking
The annual Bacoon Ride combines the love of bacon and bike riding, with bacon stops in each town along the 71-mile jaunt.
Sandy Murphy-Robb and Amy Gammel, of Lincoln, Nebraska, pose for a photo after grabbing maple bacon donuts during the BACooN Ride on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition said the Bacoon Ride generates more than $500,000 in economic impact each year for the communities along the route, which include Waukee, Dallas Center, Minburn, Perry, Dawson, Jamaica, Herndon, Yale, Panora, Linden, Redfield and Adel.
The Des Moines Register’s Jose Mendiola and Phillip Sitter contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 11th Bacoon Ride will help support burned Racoon River Trail bridge