List of RAGBRAI overnight stops


Eight "host communities" are selected each year by the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa organizers, except that there were only seven in 1973, the first year. Two of the communities are the beginning and end points, while the other six serve as overnight stops for the bicyclists. From 1973 to 2016, the distance between consecutive host communities averaged about 67 miles. The average length of the overall RAGBRAI course has been 467 miles. 1985 was the longest at 540 miles and 1977 the shortest at 400 miles.
ǂ Note: Excluding the "century loop".
At the beginning of the ride, riders traditionally dip the rear wheel of their bikes in either the Missouri River or the Big Sioux River, and at the end, the riders dip the front wheels in the Mississippi River. As of 2017, 14 communities have served as the starting point, 12 have hosted the finish, and 105 other communities have been overnight hosts.
1978 was the first year with recurring host cities. 1981 was the last year with all "first-time" host cities. 1999 was the first year with no "first-time" host city, with 2001–3, 2007, 2010, 2012–3, 2015–6 having similar distinction. 2017 was the most recent year with new "first-time" host cities.
Iowa City has the distinction of "city with longest time between hosting" at 42 years ; Lansing has the next-longest time at 40 years ; Centerville and Leon have the next-longest time at 35 years. Williamsburg has the distinction of being the "city with longest time without a repeat" and Camp Dodge is a close second.

By year

By city

Click on column headings to re-sort.
City# of VisitsFirst YearMost RecentYears
Adel1198419841984
Akron1198219821982
Algona6197720171977, 1990, 1999, 2005, 2010, 2017
Altoona1201120112011
Amana1199119911991
Ames4197320181973, 1983, 2008, 2018
Anamosa4199120211991, 2002, 2012, 2021
Ankeny1200020002000
Atlantic7197420191974, 1980, 1989, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2019
Audubon2198620061986, 2006
Bedford2199220031992, 2003
Belle Plaine1198619861986
Bellevue5198920071989, 1991, 1999, 2002, 2007
Bloomfield2199720031997, 2003
Boone4197520111975, 1988, 1998, 2011
Burlington6197920191979, 1984, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2019
Camp Dodge1197419741974
Carroll4198020111980, 1988, 1994, 2011
Cedar Falls4198920151989, 1998, 2007, 2015
Cedar Rapids2199020121990, 2012
Centerville3198120191981, 2016, 2019
Chariton2199720091997, 2009
Charles City5198220171982, 1996, 2002, 2010, 2017
Cherokee5197520121975, 1982, 1998, 2002, 2012
Clarinda1198919891989
Clarion2198319931983, 1993
Clear Lake4197720171977, 1999, 2010, 2017
Clinton6197820211978, 1985, 1994, 2004, 2012, 2021
Coralville5199520151995, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2015
Council Bluffs7197420191974, 1986, 1994, 2000, 2009, 2013, 2019
Cresco3199620171996, 2005, 2017
Creston3198420161984, 1997, 2016
Davenport5197320181973, 1982, 2011, 2015, 2018
Decorah3197719991977, 1993, 1999
Denison3198720181987, 2001, 2018
Des Moines5197320131973, 1988, 1992, 1997, 2013
Dubuque4197420101974, 1983, 1993, 2010
Dyersville2198920071989, 2007
Eldora3198620151986, 1998, 2015
Elkader1198019801980
Emmetsburg4198520141985, 1993, 2002, 2014
Estherville3198220051982, 1996, 2005
Fairfield5197920191979, 1988, 1997, 2013, 2019
Fayette1199619961996
Forest City4198220141982, 1987, 2002, 2014
Fort Dodge6197320211973, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2015, 2021
Fort Madison5197520131975, 1988, 1997, 2003, 2013
Glenwood7198020161980, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003, 2011, 2016
Greenfield3198120091981, 2000, 2009
Grinnell4197620111976, 1991, 2001, 2011
Grundy Center1198319831983
Guthrie Center2197419831974, 1983
Guttenberg5198020141980, 1987, 1996, 2005, 2014
Hampton2199020071990, 2007
Harlan6197620131976, 1983, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2013
Hawarden3197519981975, 1985, 1998
Hiawatha2200420152004, 2015
Humboldt3197820071978, 1985, 2007
Ida Grove3197720061977, 1988, 2006
Independence3198220141982, 2007, 2014
Indianola2200920192009, 2019
Iowa City2197620181976, 2018
Iowa Falls4197820211978, 1995, 2004, 2021
Jefferson4197620181976, 1989, 2008, 2018
Keokuk3198120191981, 1992, 2019
Keosauqua1198119811981
Knoxville3199120131991, 2000, 2013
Lake City1198119811981
Lake Mills1199619961996
Lake View4197520121975, 1995, 2004, 2012
Lansing2197720171977, 2017
Laurens1197719771977
Le Mars2200520202005, 2020
LeClaire1200820082008
Leon2198120161981, 2016
Manchester4198320101983, 1993, 1999, 2010
Mapleton1198119811981
Maquoketa4197820211978, 1994, 2004, 2021
Marengo1200620062006
Marion1199419941994
Marshalltown4197420121974, 1994, 2004, 2012
Mason City2198520141985, 2014
Missouri Valley4198120081981, 1991, 1997, 2008
Monticello3197419981974, 1985, 1998
Mount Pleasant5197520091975, 1984, 1992, 2003, 2009
Mount Vernon1197819781978
Muscatine6197620161976, 1986, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2016
Nevada1197619761976
New Hampton1197719771977
Newton3197520181975, 2006, 2018
North Liberty1200820082008
Northwood1200520052005
Oelwein2199020021990, 2002
Okobojiǂ1201420142014
Onawa6197720181977, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2018
Orange City1201720172017
Osage2198719931987, 1993
Osceola2199220031992, 2003
Oskaloosa4198820131988, 1992, 2003, 2013
Ottumwa4198420161984, 2000, 2009, 2016
Pella1198419841984
Perry5198020131980, 1986, 1994, 2001, 2013
Red Oak4197620091976, 1986, 1997, 2009
Rock Rapids3197920071979, 1999, 2007
Rock Valley1201420142014
Rockwell City2197919981979, 1998
Sabula1199819981998
Sergeant Bluff1200620062006
Sheldon2199320051993, 2005
Shenandoah4198420161984, 1992, 2003, 2016
Sibley2198519961985, 1996
Sidney1197619761976
Sigourney3197520181975, 1995, 2018
Sioux Center4199020121990, 1996, 2002, 2012
Sioux City7197320151973, 1978, 1988, 1993, 2001, 2010, 2015
Spencer5197920171979, 1990, 1999, 2007, 2017
Storm Lake7197320211973, 1978, 1987, 2001, 2010, 2015, 2021
Story City2197919891979, 1989
Tama/Toledo3197920081979, 1995, 2008
Tipton2198220081982, 2008
Vinton1197819781978
Wapello1197919791979
Washington4198620161986, 1990, 2000, 2016
Waterloo4197420211974, 1985, 2010, 2021
Waukee1200620062006
Waukon1201720172017
Waverly3198020141980, 1999, 2014
Webster City2198020121980, 2012
West Union2198720051987, 2005
Williamsburg1197319731973
Winterset2199120191991, 2019