Katelyn Weisbrod | July 19, 2018

RAGBRAI will experience a detour after central Iowa flooding left a portion of the route underwater.

The annual bike ride across the state, slated to begin in Onawa on Sunday and end in Davenport on July 28, was supposed to ride through Ledges State Park in Madrid, Iowa on July 24. Portions of the route through the park are under 20 feet of water as the Des Moines River and Saylorville Reservoir have swelled from recent storms.

The ride will now detour around the park on Highway 30 and Quill Avenue — a ride that is about three miles shorter. This also removes a large hill that many riders were looking forward to.

“It’s unfortunate cyclists will not get the opportunity to see the scenic beauty that Ledges has to offer,” Park Manager Andy Bartlett said in a release. “Ledges is definitely a gem within out state parks system and I would encourage those interested in exploring what it has to offer to plan a visit in the future.”