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Southern Iowa Speedway
The half-mile, semi-banked dirt track is located at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds in Oskaloosa. Racing begins in late April and ends in mid- October, and includes weekly racing and special events. Each week, five different classes of machines— sport compact, hobby stock, sport mod, stock car and Crown Vic— race on the oval. Special events include the Sprint Invaders, which will race July 16 during the fair, and the World of Outlaws late models, which will run Aug. 26. For more information and a schedule of this season’ s events, visit www. southerniowafair. com / racing, for visit the Southern Iowa Speedway-Osky Facebook page.
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Trout fishing
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in conjunction with the Ottumwa parks and recreation department, annually stocks Ottumwa’ s lagoons with various species of trout, which coincides with the annual Family Trout Fishing Day in Greater Ottumwa Park. Included in that event is a fishing contest to win various prizes and other giveaways. All Iowa fishing regulations apply when participating in the event. The 2026 event was held in March, but the stocking can be dependant on the weather.
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Wapello Chiefs Bowmen Archery Range
The Wapello Chiefs Bowmen were formed in 1953, and have a club located on 80 acres of property south of Ottumwa. There are 3-D archery shooting events throughout the summer and are open for the public to attend. Members of the club have access to the grounds at any time and are allowed to bow hunt on the property. The Iowa Archery Shooters Association hosts an event at the range every year. The range is located at 1999 140th Ave., and a 2026 schedule can be found www. wapellochiefsbowmen. com.
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Trails
A list of key trail systems in southeast Iowa, curated from the Iowa Department of Transportation and local trails councils:
Ottumwa Trail System— A 16-mile trail system that stretches from the southeast side of Ottumwa, through Ottumwa Park and crosses the Des Moines River before heading toward the west and east side of the city. The trails are paved, and suitable for walking and bicycling. Construction of trails are through grants and donations and overseen by the non-profit Wapello County Trails Council.
Mahaska Community Recreation Trail— The 13.6-mile trail system is made of concrete, but 15 miles are planned for a project that began in 1999. The trail will loop around Oskaloosa and University Park, following an old railroad right-of-way. There are two trailheads that feature parking, restrooms and water.
Jefferson County Trail System— The 18-mile limestone and concreet loop has five bikeway and walkway routes— northern, downtown( Fairfield), eastern, western and southern. Almost 16 of the miles in the system are the Fairfield Loop Trail, which circumvents the city and features various terrain. Within the larger loops are the Cedar View and Jefferson County Park trails. There are several parking areas along all trails.
Volksweg Trail— This 14-mile paved trail traverses Lake Red Rock for 11 miles before going another three miles into Pella. The trail is a collaboration between private, federal, state, county and city entities. There are numerous restrooms and bicycle stations along the way.
Rathbun Lake— Rathbun Lake, located in Appanoose County, has a rich trail system to fit anyone, any time of year. It offers an 8-mile North Shore Trail that traverses woodlands and grass prairies. There also is the Rathbun Water Trail, which encompasses 20 miles of self-guided paddling, as well as the Rathbun Lake OHV Park, which is suitable for snowmobiles. The trails system is operated by Appanoose County Trails, Inc., and encourages users to“ leave to trace.”
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