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 (ǂ). The average length of the overall RAGBRAI course has been 467 miles (ǂ). 1985 was the longest at 540 miles (ǂ) and 1977 the shortest at 400 miles (ǂ).
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 (depending on the starting point of the ride), and at the end, the riders dip the front wheels in the Mississippi River. As of 2020, 14 communities have served as the starting point, 12 have hosted the finish, and 105 other communities have been overnight hosts. Two new communities are being planned as overnight hosts on the 2021 ride (Sac City and DeWitt).
1978 was the first year with recurring host cities (Sioux City and Storm Lake). 1981 was the last year with all "first-time" host cities. 1999 was the first year with no "first-time" host city (all were repeats from prior years), with 2001–3, 2007, 2010, 2012–3, 2015–6 and 2018-9 having similar distinction. 2017 was the most recent year previously with new "first-time" host cities (Orange City and Waukon).
Iowa City has the distinction of "city with longest time between hosting" at 42 years (1976 and 2018), with Lansing next-longest at 40 years (1977 and 2017), and Centerville and Leon tied for the third-longest at 35 years (both hosted in 1981 and 2016). Williamsburg has the distinction of being the "city with longest time without a repeat" (1973 to present) and Camp Dodge is a close second (1974 to present).
By year
^ ǂ: The 2014 overnight Okoboji stay was hosted by five communities: Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Arnolds Park, West Okoboji and Milford
^ ǂ: There was no RAGBRAI in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned 2020 route will be used in 2021, with modifications due to Overnight town availability changing[1]
By city
Click on column headings to re-sort.
| City | # of Visits | First Year | Most Recent | Years (S=Start, E=End) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adel | 1 | 1984 | 1984 | 1984 |
| Akron | 1 | 1982 | 1982 | 1982 (S) |
| Algona | 6 | 1977 | 2017 | 1977, 1990, 1999, 2005, 2010, 2017 |
| Altoona | 1 | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Amana | 1 | 1991 | 1991 | 1991 |
| Ames | 4 | 1973 | 2018 | 1973, 1983, 2008, 2018 |
| Anamosa | 4 | 1991 | 2021 | 1991, 2002, 2012, 2021 |
| Ankeny | 1 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Atlantic | 7 | 1974 | 2019 | 1974, 1980, 1989, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2019 |
| Audubon | 2 | 1986 | 2006 | 1986, 2006 |
| Bedford | 2 | 1992 | 2003 | 1992, 2003 |
| Belle Plaine | 1 | 1986 | 1986 | 1986 |
| Bellevue | 5 | 1989 | 2007 | 1989, 1991, 1999, 2002, 2007 (E, all years) |
| Bloomfield | 2 | 1997 | 2003 | 1997, 2003 |
| Boone | 4 | 1975 | 2011 | 1975, 1988, 1998, 2011 |
| Burlington | 6 | 1979 | 2019 | 1979, 1984, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2019 (E all years but 2019) |
| Camp Dodge | 1 | 1974 | 1974 | 1974 |
| Carroll | 4 | 1980 | 2011 | 1980, 1988, 1994, 2011 |
| Cedar Falls | 4 | 1989 | 2015 | 1989, 1998, 2007, 2015 |
| Cedar Rapids | 2 | 1990 | 2012 | 1990, 2012 |
| Centerville | 3 | 1981 | 2019 | 1981, 2016, 2019 |
| Chariton | 2 | 1997 | 2009 | 1997, 2009 |
| Charles City | 5 | 1982 | 2017 | 1982, 1996, 2002, 2010, 2017 |
| Cherokee | 5 | 1975 | 2012 | 1975, 1982, 1998, 2002, 2012 |
| Clarinda | 1 | 1989 | 1989 | 1989 |
| Clarion | 2 | 1983 | 1993 | 1983, 1993 |
| Clear Lake | 4 | 1977 | 2017 | 1977, 1999, 2010, 2017 |
| Clinton | 6 | 1978 | 2021 | 1978, 1985, 1994, 2004, 2012, 2021 (E, all years) |
| Coralville | 5 | 1995 | 2015 | 1995, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2015 |
| Council Bluffs | 7 | 1974 | 2019 | 1974, 1986, 1994, 2000, 2009, 2013, 2019 (S, all years) |
| Cresco | 3 | 1996 | 2017 | 1996, 2005, 2017 |
| Creston | 3 | 1984 | 2016 | 1984, 1997, 2016 |
| Davenport | 5 | 1973 | 2018 | 1973, 1982, 2011, 2015, 2018 (E, all years) |
| Decorah | 3 | 1977 | 1999 | 1977, 1993, 1999 |
| Denison | 3 | 1987 | 2018 | 1987, 2001, 2018 |
| Des Moines | 5 | 1973 | 2013 | 1973, 1988, 1992, 1997, 2013 |
| DeWitt | 1 | 2021 | 2021 | 2021 |
| Dubuque | 4 | 1974 | 2010 | 1974, 1983, 1993, 2010 (E, all years) |
| Dyersville | 2 | 1989 | 2007 | 1989, 2007 |
| Eldora | 3 | 1986 | 2015 | 1986, 1998, 2015 |
| Elkader | 1 | 1980 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Emmetsburg | 4 | 1985 | 2014 | 1985, 1993, 2002, 2014 |
| Estherville | 3 | 1982 | 2005 | 1982, 1996, 2005 |
| Fairfield | 5 | 1979 | 2019 | 1979, 1988, 1997, 2013, 2019 |
| Fayette | 1 | 1996 | 1996 | 1996 |
| Forest City | 4 | 1982 | 2014 | 1982, 1987, 2002, 2014 |
| Fort Dodge | 6 | 1973 | 2021 | 1973, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2015, 2021 |
| Fort Madison | 5 | 1975 | 2013 | 1975, 1988, 1997, 2003, 2013 (E, all years) |
| Glenwood | 7 | 1980 | 2016 | 1980, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003, 2011, 2016 (S, all years) |
| Greenfield | 3 | 1981 | 2009 | 1981, 2000, 2009 |
| Grinnell | 4 | 1976 | 2011 | 1976, 1991, 2001, 2011 |
| Grundy Center | 1 | 1983 | 1983 | 1983 |
| Guthrie Center | 2 | 1974 | 1983 | 1974, 1983 |
| Guttenberg | 5 | 1980 | 2014 | 1980, 1987, 1996, 2005, 2014 (E, all years) |
| Hampton | 2 | 1990 | 2007 | 1990, 2007 |
| Harlan | 6 | 1976 | 2013 | 1976, 1983, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2013 |
| Hawarden | 3 | 1975 | 1998 | 1975, 1985, 1998 (S, all years) |
| Hiawatha | 2 | 2004 | 2015 | 2004, 2015 |
| Humboldt | 3 | 1978 | 2007 | 1978, 1985, 2007 |
| Ida Grove | 3 | 1977 | 2006 | 1977, 1988, 2006 |
| Independence | 3 | 1982 | 2014 | 1982, 2007, 2014 |
| Indianola | 2 | 2009 | 2019 | 2009, 2019 |
| Iowa City | 2 | 1976 | 2018 | 1976, 2018 |
| Iowa Falls | 4 | 1978 | 2021 | 1978, 1995, 2004, 2021 |
| Jefferson | 4 | 1976 | 2018 | 1976, 1989, 2008, 2018 |
| Keokuk | 3 | 1981 | 2019 | 1981, 1992, 2019 (E, all years) |
| Keosauqua | 1 | 1981 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Knoxville | 3 | 1991 | 2013 | 1991, 2000, 2013 |
| Lake City | 1 | 1981 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Lake Mills | 1 | 1996 | 1996 | 1996 |
| Lake View | 4 | 1975 | 2012 | 1975, 1995, 2004, 2012 |
| Lansing | 2 | 1977 | 2017 | 1977, 2017 (E, all years) |
| Laurens | 1 | 1977 | 1977 | 1977 |
| Le Mars | 2 | 2005 | 2021 | 2005, 2021 (S, all years) |
| LeClaire | 1 | 2008 | 2008 | 2008 (E) |
| Leon | 2 | 1981 | 2016 | 1981, 2016 |
| Manchester | 4 | 1983 | 2010 | 1983, 1993, 1999, 2010 |
| Mapleton | 1 | 1981 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Maquoketa | 3 | 1978 | 2004 | 1978, 1994, 2004 |
| Marengo | 1 | 2006 | 2006 | 2006 |
| Marion | 1 | 1994 | 1994 | 1994 |
| Marshalltown | 4 | 1974 | 2012 | 1974, 1994, 2004, 2012 |
| Mason City | 2 | 1985 | 2014 | 1985, 2014 |
| Missouri Valley | 4 | 1981 | 2008 | 1981, 1991, 1997, 2008 (S, all years) |
| Monticello | 3 | 1974 | 1998 | 1974, 1985, 1998 |
| Mount Pleasant | 5 | 1975 | 2009 | 1975, 1984, 1992, 2003, 2009 |
| Mount Vernon | 1 | 1978 | 1978 | 1978 |
| Muscatine | 6 | 1976 | 2016 | 1976, 1986, 1995, 2001, 2006, 2016 (E, all years) |
| Nevada | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 1976 |
| New Hampton | 1 | 1977 | 1977 | 1977 |
| Newton | 3 | 1975 | 2018 | 1975, 2006, 2018 |
| North Liberty | 1 | 2008 | 2008 | 2008 |
| Northwood | 1 | 2005 | 2005 | 2005 |
| Oelwein | 2 | 1990 | 2002 | 1990, 2002 |
| Okobojiǂ | 1 | 2014 | 2014 | 2014 |
| Onawa | 6 | 1977 | 2018 | 1977, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2018 (S, all years) |
| Orange City | 1 | 2017 | 2017 | 2017 (S) |
| Osage | 2 | 1987 | 1993 | 1987, 1993 |
| Osceola | 2 | 1992 | 2003 | 1992, 2003 |
| Oskaloosa | 4 | 1988 | 2013 | 1988, 1992, 2003, 2013 |
| Ottumwa | 4 | 1984 | 2016 | 1984, 2000, 2009, 2016 |
| Pella | 1 | 1984 | 1984 | 1984 |
| Perry | 5 | 1980 | 2013 | 1980, 1986, 1994, 2001, 2013 |
| Red Oak | 4 | 1976 | 2009 | 1976, 1986, 1997, 2009 |
| Rock Rapids | 3 | 1979 | 2007 | 1979, 1999, 2007 (S, all years) |
| Rock Valley | 1 | 2014 | 2014 | 2014 (S) |
| Rockwell City | 2 | 1979 | 1998 | 1979, 1998 |
| Sabula | 1 | 1998 | 1998 | 1998 (E) |
| Sac City | 1 | 2021 | 2021 | 2021 |
| Sergeant Bluff | 1 | 2006 | 2006 | 2006 (S) |
| Sheldon | 2 | 1993 | 2005 | 1993, 2005 |
| Shenandoah | 4 | 1984 | 2016 | 1984, 1992, 2003, 2016 |
| Sibley | 2 | 1985 | 1996 | 1985, 1996 |
| Sidney | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 1976 (S) |
| Sigourney | 3 | 1975 | 2018 | 1975, 1995, 2018 |
| Sioux Center | 4 | 1990 | 2012 | 1990, 1996, 2002, 2012 (S, all years) |
| Sioux City | 7 | 1973 | 2015 | 1973, 1978, 1988, 1993, 2001, 2010, 2015 (S, all years) |
| Spencer | 5 | 1979 | 2017 | 1979, 1990, 1999, 2007, 2017 |
| Storm Lake | 6 | 1973 | 2015 | 1973, 1978, 1987, 2001, 2010, 2015 |
| Story City | 2 | 1979 | 1989 | 1979, 1989 |
| Tama/Toledo | 3 | 1979 | 2008 | 1979, 1995, 2008 |
| Tipton | 2 | 1982 | 2008 | 1982, 2008 |
| Vinton | 1 | 1978 | 1978 | 1978 |
| Wapello | 1 | 1979 | 1979 | 1979 |
| Washington | 4 | 1986 | 2016 | 1986, 1990, 2000, 2016 |
| Waterloo | 4 | 1974 | 2021 | 1974, 1985, 2010, 2021 |
| Waukee | 1 | 2006 | 2006 | 2006 |
| Waukon | 1 | 2017 | 2017 | 2017 |
| Waverly | 3 | 1980 | 2014 | 1980, 1999, 2014 |
| Webster City | 2 | 1980 | 2012 | 1980, 2012 |
| West Union | 2 | 1987 | 2005 | 1987, 2005 |
| Williamsburg | 1 | 1973 | 1973 | 1973 |
| Winterset | 2 | 1991 | 2019 | 1991, 2019 |
^ ǂ: The 2014 overnight Okoboji stay was hosted by five communities: Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Arnolds Park, West Okoboji and Milford