Super fun, different activity to do with friends or family. My particular group was 4, but you can also do a 2 person rail car. We selected the latest 8pm ride to enjoy the summer sunset. I do recommend bringing a sweatshirt for the trip back. The trip is 12 miles out to a quaint little spot along the Des Moines River & 12 miles back. I will say although it's a pedal yourself type activity- there is one main "captains seat" which keeps tension on the chain and the rail car moving without everyone else pedaling. This makes the activity doable for almost anyone. Tip: bring a little cooler with snacks and drinks to hang out at the outdoor lighted area's. Trust me you won't regret it! Pro tip: Bug spray, as the ride is through heavily wooded areas. read more

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We had been wanting to do this forever, but the timing finally worked out! Make sure to book early (especially weekends) because they fill up fast. We did the 7:00 sunset ride and it was beautiful out! The check in and set up was smooth and efficient. Staff was friendly and informative throughout the whole process. The ride was a total of 12.2 miles but I didn't even sweat because the rail car does most of the work for you. They give you a break at the landing halfway (bring drinks or snacks) and then you ride back. Beautiful views of Iowa! read more

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What's one easy way to tell if a train just passed? It leaves tracks. I had been wanting to do this for a long time. My friends who live in Boone have gone a couple times and were finally able to make it happen! You should book your ride early. We booked it months in advance. Especially if you want to go on a weekend, because they sell out quickly. We not only got to go on a weekend but on Pufferbilly Days which is Boone's annual town celebration. We went on the 8:00am ride! Checking in and getting set up for the ride was easy and quick. The staff was friendly and helpful throughout the entire process. There is a big group that all goes at once. Multiple rail carts. Bring your drink, blanket, jackets ect. The weather is normally cooler this time of year, but it was perfect morning. On the rails it was a little nosey but that was to be expected. The deer were out and about and they crossed the tracks. We were the last car in the row. We had a good time peddling out and then they turn the cars around and we were the 1st one back. We had a really good time and would recommend it around fall if you can time the leaves changing. There are some times that would put you in the dark depending on the time of the year, but that would be a little scary and cool at the same time. read more

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DO NOT book a start time if it is after sunset! Your entire ride will be in total darkness and you won't see a thing. The staff was lovely and the facilities were great; the rail cars, too, although noisy but expected. We had to yell to communicate, for reference. But I cannot recommend this experience because our start time was 8:30 PM on 9/5 and we couldn't see a thing for the 2 hour duration - even with a nearly full moon. I am disappointed that the business still sells this time slot which is why I'm giving this 2 starts instead of 3. I don't regret the experience but I wouldn't do it again and would heavily discourage anyone else from doing it. I did NOT enjoy this. I am certain that with day time or at sunset this would be a great time. But man, I don't condone continuing the sale of this time slot. read more

Been wanting to do this on one of my visits and finally got the chance to do this. Made reservations on Friday for the 12:30 pm Monday excursion. Really enjoyed the experience. Beautiful scenery throughout the about 12 mile round trip. The high bridge didnot seem as scary as I thought and it was cool crossing the DSM river. This bird nerd got to see some great birds on this trip , including bald eagles at the rest point. When moving the cars are a little noisy and not the most comfortable seat, but not horrible either. We hardly peddled on way out, but my strong nephew pedaled in the right seat on the way back as the guides stated. Would totally do this again. read more

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We had a great time relaxing and connecting with nature. We booked this in April for an October date. So recommend booking early is you want the four seater. read more

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Great run very different i would do it again... Staff very nice and friendly. ............ .. ...... ... read more

We made advance reservations for four of us all on the same rail car. The ride along the Des Moines River, the fields and woods was really nice. Fantastic views especially from the bridges. I wasn't prepared for the noise level in the car, lots of clickety clack. Also get a strong person into the primary pedal seat. It's a bit downhill on the outbound, tougher on the return going uphill. We had a great time. Highly recommended. read more

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We had so much fun! It was a beautiful day for a ride! The views are spectacular! We were supposed to leave at 10:45 but due to the group in front of us they were running 10 minutes late. The staff apologized several times. We enjoyed the area playing games and taking photos while we waited. Once we got our ride underway we had a great time! At the turn around location the staff had ice water for us, which was refreshing. Our ride back was not as fun. The ride in front of us was so slow. They kept slowing down so their child could reach flowers. Halfway to the end one of our pedals fell off. Luckily it wasn't the lead. All in all we enjoyed the Rail Explorers! We look forward to our next trip! read more

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Omgsh we had so much fun! We did the 4 seater at sunset however we ended up getting rained on but the show still went on! They provided ponchos & umbrellas! It wasn't a downpour so it was still fun. Would definitely go again. The staff was sooo nice & educated us before & during the ride. Always available behind or in front if needed. They took pics for us too! Can't wait to go back to see the views during the day! They have 2 seater available as well. read more

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A unique fun experience. We did the last tour of the day -- starts at 9 pm. We'll come back for a daytime tour next. The evening one starts after sunset so it was not as nice. I was hoping I'd hit sun set, would've been beautiful out there. The bikes itself are a bit loud but that's expected, not uncomfortably loud. It does have a motor so there's VERY LITTLE resistance. Don't be concerned about physical activity. The entire trip was about an hour and 1/2. But, the majority of it was spent waiting. You're on the route until a resting point where you get off, chill while they turn all the carts around then you head back. I wish the route had a turn around built in but still very fun! Bring drinks, snacks, and speakers. read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

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If you are looking for a new experience, look no further. This is an outdoor pedaling cart along a railroad track. You go about 6 miles and over two bridges. If you have hight issues be aware of this and choose wisely. You do not need to be in great physical condition to do this adventure. The carts are electric assist, so minimal effort is needed on your part. There are 2 seater carts and 4 seater carts. You are buckled in and there is a basket to but any personal belongings in if you feel you will lose them. Many groups brought small coolers but it is probably not needed for the hour or so ride. The carts followed the train out and back so the track is strong enough to hold a full size train. I say this because it does feel a little rickety at times. It is also very loud from all the medal on medal banging. The staff we very friendly and helpful, carrying on conversations and also retrieving lost belongings (a couple hats) as they find them. You will need to book an appointment well in advance as I hear they are already book for the rest of the year. We plan to go again but this time at the late time slot where we can use the headlights and experience the evening ride. read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - Biking is a whole new experience - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

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Great time! The staff was incredible!! I give the 4 stars only because as they encourage drinks/speakers etc, yet during the half way point there is no restroom, the bikes don't have cup holders and it is very loud over the tracks. Again, the staff was incredible, just a few callouts that were unexpected. read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - Bridge over water - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

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My husband and I had a lot of fun riding this today. We wished that the weather had been nicer as it was cloudy and sprinkling during part of the ride, but the views were still great. The staff was wonderful. Their attention to detail was awesome. They gave us free rain ponchos as it was sprinkling. They also included umbrellas on every rail car in case the rain got heavy. They even dried off all the seats for us so we wouldn't have to sit on a wet seat. They explained how everything was going to go and told us all the do's and don'ts in order to have a safe and pleasant ride. Everyone was on the ball and everything went smoothly. The electric assist made it really easy to pedal so it wasn't hard at all. I will say the seat and back rest are pretty hard and my butt and back were hurting a little after the ride. If you can't sit in the same position for a while, you may be uncomfortable. But over all, everything was great. We'd like to try it again on a nicer day. I highly recommend this for something fun and different to do. read more

Day 2 of being opened. We had a great time on this tour. Each car has a motor that engages on the trip back to the station. It's about a 5,5 mile tour in each direction. There's a short break in between as they turn the cars around. Bring a cooler with water and snacks and don't forget the sunscreen. It's about 2 hours from start to finish. Note, if on the way back you are working harder to move your car on the tracks, your motor may not be engaged. Happened to us but we didn't mind because we were getting a decent workout. Once engaged, it moved with little effort. Highly recommend for all ages!! read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - Tandem rail car - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

We traveled a ways to check out Rail Explorers for a birthday outing and were not disappointed. Staff was great! We had a slight hiccup but the staff went above and beyond to fix it. Would recommend trying this, easy and enjoyable for all ages. read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

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Fun fun fun! A must do. Gonna do it again in October! Staff was friendly and the ride was a breeze. Loved the nature ride. read more

Rail Explorers - Boone IA Division - View from parking lot. - Tours Near Me - Boone, Iowa

Fun trip to take and see the scenic areas around Boone, Iowa. The electric guided rail cars make it enjoyable and a fun experience. Would recommend if you've never done this. read more

So much fun and a must for repeat visits as they have multiple ride packages available! We always make sure to purchase our tickets in advance for the yearly family reunion in good ole' Iowa. It's always a pleasure to see some of the familiar staff as well. Adam is always the star of the show with his smile and charisma. He's all my cousin can talk about come ride time! Much love from your future wife, Stephanie. read more

This was such a fun experience! We came across a video of this on tiktok and booked a ticket right away. Definitely order tickets well in advance - they sell out quick! The views are beautiful. read more

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Who knew Iowa could be so breathtaking! Awesome little excursion and with a friendly, well informed staff. Great experience from start to finish. Highly recommend to all who'd enjoy an active outdoor activity. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful time!! It was beautiful and although it rained we had such a blast. The staff was friendly and really helpful; especially Adam with the ears!! He rocks! A great experience I would definitely recommend read more

rail explorers is an exquisite attraction, the highlight of my brief excursion to boone iowa. the rail cars are excellent, and the end of the rail line would be an excellent place to visit at night, even more delightful that during the day. i found the signage to be of exquisite quality, pointing out the most interesting points of the journey such as "gravel pit" and "north pole post office." i also saw a turtle, a funky bird, and more corn than i thought existed in this nation. the gift shop was excellent, with items of extraordinary quality. the pin i bought for my sister shall be much appreciated. that bathrooms were also far better than expected considering they were in a a trailer. the workers were also hella fine. 6/5 would visit again. (in the unlikely event i return to boone iowa, no matter how excellent the lore may be) read more

Terrible experience. We paid for what the website describes as "a custom-built electric assist motor that makes the experience truly effortless, even when climbing the steepest of inclines." Not the case. Our rail bike did not work for one second and was on manual pedal (570lb rail bike without passengers, mind you). They kept telling us that someone up ahead would get it working. Despite multiple attempts, it never did. Eventually, they hooked us to another rail bike that had to push us to the turnaround, taking away from the experience for the nice gals behind us and for us. At the turnaround, no attempts were made to fix it further. For the ride back, they had another rail bike hooked to us to push us back. And guess what? It stopped working immediately too. The couple behind us and my wife and I had to manually pedal the 570lb rail bike back 6 miles--not an easy feat. We had no choice as no staff were anywhere to be seen, and we were in the middle of nowhere. After about 2 minutes, we then saw the rail bike in front of us also quit working, so now three rail bikes in a row had to manually pedal all the way back. Not the effortless experience advertised. Finally, 2-3 blocks from the starting point, we encountered staff. I should mention there were four guides with us on a quad rail bike. Three of them were in the lead and took off, leaving us behind. Their rail bike had assist and seemed effortless. Staff told me to talk to the manager in the office, and he would make this right. The on-site manager said there was nothing he could do and that I needed to call the phone number, which was not open. First thing Monday, I called, and the gal on the phone was incredibly helpful, polite, and sympathetic to our experience, saying that it had been close to two years since one rail bike stopped working, never three. She told me I would be issued a refund and a credit for a ride to try it again and get a better experience. She stated she had to put me on hold for just "a minute or two" to get it approved. Turns out they did not approve it, and I would have to wait until the next day for the manager to call me. She assured me they would call the next day. The website says phones are answered 9-5, no time zone. I called at 4:30 CST (same time zone as the Iowa Boone Rail Explorers), and there was no answer. The manager never called. No refund, no credit. So, if you want to almost kill yourself pedaling 570lbs manually, pay for that terrible experience, and then have the company not bother to follow up, then you should definitely give this a try. If you are looking for "a custom-built electric assist motor that makes the experience truly effortless, even when climbing the steepest of inclines," fun, or any enjoyment, I suggest you skip this experience. To prove my point, I have shared a video of both my rail bike and the girls in front of us. The round black object on the back is the motor, and it should be spinning to propel the rail bike anytime the right-hand person is pedaling. You can see clearly that is not happening on the two that I videoed. Update: the manager called and finally offered a credit to try this again. I instead insisted on a refund, even if free I would not endure this again read more

Went with my girlfriend and we loved it. Did the sunset tour and saw some great views. Brought a cooler of snacks and drinks which I highly recommend read more