4.5Mines of Spain Recreation Area(242 reviews) - The museum and castle a must see Friday: 4:00 AM - 10:30 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
At first I wasn’t sure what to expect but I did know I wanted a good view of the Mississippi. There was a lot to see at museum about the settling of Dubuque so glad we stopped there first and then went on a nice drive over to the “ mines of Spain” site. Very interesting area and some great view of the RiverSee more..
4.5Decorah Fish Hatchery(157 reviews) - Learn about trout and nature at this stop. Nature & Wildlife Areas
I came across this as my wife and I were on the Trout Run Trail loop. I swung and said, "I need to come back!"... which I did!. Overall cool place to look at the trout 'hatchery' process. The facility was closed but we were able to walk, read and observe this hefty facility. They had an on-site stream that evidently had trout in them as we observed some people fishing it. Overall a nice place for young and old!See more..
We enjoyed the indoor exhibits very much - lots of natural history, information about the climate and environment and a large display about the Steamboat Bertrand that sank in 1865 and was excavated 100 years later. That was very interesting. Then we walked two of the nature trails along the DeSoto Lake - they are well kept and marked. There is a camping area as well, though we didn't spend the night! There is a small admission charge but Federal recreational passes (like the America the Beautiful pass) are accepted.See more..
This is the largest prairie reconstruction project in the United States.See more..
4.5Indian Creek Nature Center(62 reviews) - Snoeshowing was a blast! Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas
We rented snowshoes and went snowshoeing. Reasonably priced rentals, the staff spent time explaining how to use them and put them on. We really enjoyed snowshoeing on the trails and exploring. I did a YouTube review of this experience which you can watch on my channel Mary Beth's Midwest Adventures. There are also many other videos of fun things to do and places to eat in Iowa as well! Hope you find it helpful!See more..
5.0Hitchcock Nature Center(50 reviews) - Best kept secret north of Omaha Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Three day 2 night girls (sisters) camping trip. Stayed in Burr Oak cabin. Was beautiful and rustic and surprisingly quiet and private from the other two cabins. Could not believe how great the mattress was - slept like a baby! Great trails and unbelievable views! So close to Omaha. Stopped at Stanley's Snack Shack on the way there and had a really great lunch. I guess the only downer was on Monday they were weed wacking about 100 yards from our cabin and this went on all morning, but I guess it has to be done at some point, but it did ruin our quiet morning. Rest room was clean and within easy walking distance to cabin. Did not use showers since we were only there for a couple days. The lodge was nice and we got a sticker for the car and a t-shirt. View from the lodge was amazing and so was the observation tower. Overall, highly recommend!!See more..
4.5Lime Creek Nature Center(41 reviews) - walk in the woods Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas
a nice walk in the woods , But we should have brought water along. next time we will pack a lunch and spend some more time exploring the other trailsSee more..
This is a beautiful place to enjoy being outside. Our girls and I try to visit once a month just to see what's blooming. Once we met one of the groundhogs that live in the area. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle, the arboretum is the perfect spot!See more..
5.0Fossil & Prairie Center(26 reviews) - Great half-day stop for spring break Nature & Wildlife Areas
We stopped here for a half day on our travels around Iowa during spring break. It was a cold, windy day, so the place was almost empty. The visitor center was closed, although the doors were open to give access to the restrooms. We found plenty of parking and went right to work looking for fossils. Our grandson (7) had a blast and was so excited to find a variety of fossils, including some beautiful complete brachiopods. Fossils were plentiful in many horizons, and our grandson quickly gathered a couple of small bags full. The fun continued that evening in our motel room, where he meticulously washed everything he found. We walked to the Menards store next to our motel to buy a few plastic divided boxes to hold his new treasures. It was so much fun that I think we'll go back next year. There are no good motel or restaurant options nearby, but we found excellent lodging and restaurants in Ft. Dodge.See more..
a 450-acre park and nature preserve with a 7 mile trail system for hiking and cross-country skiing offering excellent viewing of a variety of native wildlife species and habitats, as well as a shelter for both summer and winter use. On the rolling terrain of the preserve are to be found prairies, savanna, woodlands, a 25 acre lake, a marsh, ponds, and wildlife plantings.See more..
A beautiful place to go & enjoy nature. Well maintained. A nice exhibit of live raptors. A beautiful butterfly garden.See more..
4.5Manchester Fish Hatchery(14 reviews) - Fun, Free, and Easy Kids' Activity Nature & Wildlife Areas
This is a phenomenal way to teach kids about fish. They have a multitude of pools with varying sizes of fish -- mostly trout when we were there. The stream next to the hatchery had fish in it to show the contrast of hatchery versus nature. Fun suspended bridge over the stream. The free fish food gave the kids something to interact with the fish. A great experience all around! Locals at the Bread Bowl in Manchester told us about it -- so happy they shared! We were staying at the cabins at Backbone State Park -- the fish hatchery is a very easy side trip from there.See more..
4.5Prarie Park Fishery(14 reviews) - Nice place to relax and enjoy the view! Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Love biking around the lake and then continuing onto the Indian Creek Nature trail! It is really nice that we are also able to put the kayake's in for a spin.See more..
5.0Nahant Marsh Education Center(12 reviews) - Good place to choose-your-own-adventure in nature Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
Come discover the wonders of the wetlands at Nahant Marsh. We are a 305-acre preserve nestled in southwest Davenport, IA that's abundant with wildlife all year round. We offer hiking, volunteering, and nature programming for all ages. Trails are open daily year-round, sunrise to sunset.See more..
4.5Hartman Reserve Nature Center(11 reviews) - Beautiful place to enjoy nature! Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Forests
This is a great place to hike through the woods. I love finding the wildflowers in spring! They have a lovely new visitor's center as well!See more..
5.0Bailey's Ford Recreation Area(10 reviews) - Beautiful Trout Stream and Campground on Maquoketa River Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
This is a hidden gem in Iowa. The campground is lovely and if you're lucky you can get the site that has the stream on one side and the river on the other. It's also perfect for a day trip if you want to hike, fish, or just enjoy watching the clear water flow by and the trout in it. Each time I've been there it's been very serene. I spent several hours taking photos of the water and the fall foliage.See more..
4.0Honey Creek State Park(9 reviews) - No crowds! Spent 1-2 hours State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
Nice smooth water. Not many other boats or crafts in sight. Dock workers at Honey Creek Lodge not the most knowledgeable but okay and polite.See more..
5.0Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt(8 reviews) - a nice time Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks • Hiking Trails
I liked it if your a guy how likes history you'll enjoy but if you are scared of fragile wooden things I would not adviseSee more..
I have reviewed this campground before but wanted to update information. This campground is scheduled for a complete upgrade so will be closed for the 2018 camping season. Camped several times this year and will miss 2018 but will be looking good for 2019.See more..
Hubby and I hiked for about an hour and a half. We walked to the scenic outlook and were not disappointed. The trails are well marked. Nice parking area, beware of one lane road in and out. We enjoyed the snowy hike and got some great pics.See more..
5.0Lake Icaria State Park(7 reviews) - Needed get away Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
We went camping and kayaking at Lake Icaria this past weekend. While kayaking we saw a baby fawn and a few snakes in the water(yucky)lol The water was very clean and warm! We went all the way down to the overflow and went thru to the other side! It was such a beautiful day and the scenery was great! Trees, birds, wildlife and the shore line was so clean! We live near a campground we try to stay at in Missouri but it is so hard to get a spot and the upkeep has really gone downhill! Lake Icaria is so quiet. No golf carts running around with non licensed drivers driving way to fast! The camp sites are perfect space apart also! We will be back many times to enjoy your Lake! The snowcone from the food trailer was delicious and very reasonable! The swimming hole was clean and everyone was very kind and respectful! It was a great weekend with great friends making memories! Give it a try pretty sure you will love it See more..
Spot dragonflies and frogs, identify prairie flowers springing up, and take pictures with our unique replica of a bald eagle nest. A monument to the Driftless Area and its wetlands, the Centre hosts rotating displays, a farmers market with entertainment, and family activities.See more..
Looking for something to do in the heat we decided to visit Ice Cave. The road was a little narrow but we found the preserve fairly easy to find. We had to cross a stream walk on rocks and up to the cave. We could feel the cold air even before we approached the steps. It looks like there’s a trail to walk beyond the cave but decided to come back when it’s a little cooler and explore. Definitely worth a drive and short walk to check this out. There is a stream and an area to have a picnic if one desires.See more..
5.0Dickinson County Nature Center(6 reviews) - Great place to visit with kids Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
The Dickinson County Nature Center is open year-round and is a mecca for environmental learning and fun. There is always something to see and do, whether it be visiting one of our live animal ambassadors or having fun with an interactive exhibit. Kenue Park also features geocaching, mowed trails, rehabilitated trumpeter swans, disc golf, a Nature Playscape and the seasonal Westport Schoolhouse.See more..
4.5Little River Lake Recreation Area(5 reviews) - Great experience Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
If you can live without Wi-Fi, television, and indoor plumbing than this is the perfect place for you. Cabin #2 has two bunk beds, hide-a-bed, a microwave, and small refrigerator. A clean porta-potty was a short walk away. A very clean bathhouse is up the hill. It was very calm and quiet at the campsite and fishing was great. Can hardly wait to return.See more..
5.0Frank A. Gotch park(5 reviews) - Beautiful area Spent < 1 hour Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests
It's a spacious camp ground that includes a small cabin and modern bathrooms. A hiking trail is nearby as well a river good for fishing.See more..
Love these 15 beauties! Kim and Bret are wonderful people and take such good care of dogs, loved ones, and friends. I LOVE visiting every summer!See more..
4.5Viking Lake State Park(4 reviews) - Beautiful place Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks This park is very pretty and very clean. You call tent camp all the way to full service. Park rangers are great.See more..
4.5Brinton Timber(4 reviews) - I found a Jack in the Pulpit! Friday: 4:30 AM - 10:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails • Forests This was a wonderful day, just before a storm. No heat and plenty of moisture. The access to the park is well marked and a good gravel road. Parking is provided right at the entrance. There is a toilet ( latrine). Boys best use the bushes away from traveled areas. I like the trails and how they are marked. The longest hike is about 1.5 miles although I'm sure you could wander farther. Don't get lost, it is dense timber after all. I found a jack in the pulpit after about a 20 min search and another after 15 min more. These are becoming hard to find, at least in Iowas timber. Here no one sprays herbicide so natural plants can grow. I enjoyed my visit very much. Mosquitoes and gnats are most likely fierce when it warms up. Watch for poison ivy!See more..
4.5Bear Creek Public Access(3 reviews) - Beautiful area and well stocked---does get busy on the weekends Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
I am from central IA and love getting away to NE Iowa. The area is absolutely beautiful! Bear Creek will not disappoint for a day of Trout fishing. Waders will be needed for some of the crossings. The area can get busy but everyone was respectful and stayed a fair distance from each other.See more..
3.5Brown's lake/Bigelow park(3 reviews) - Love camping here Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
Best place to camp! It has a dock,nice park, basketball hoop, sand volleyball, a beach and so much more for everyone to do.See more..
4.5Black Hawk State Park(3 reviews) - Nice Getaway Spent 2-3 hours State Parks • Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Black Hawk Lake is a good place to visit and get away from our crazy lives. The State Park campground is setup well and well maintained. Book early to get a site on the water. If you enjoy water sports and or fishing you definitely can't go wrong.See more..
4.5Prairie Heritage Center(3 reviews) - Fun for all ages Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas
There are all kinds of stuffed animals to see inside. There are antiques to see. Skins and bones in hidden boxes for kids to identify. Electronic question answer matching. Outside bison in the field, great panoramas with binoculars to borrow. Chuck wagon for kids to play in.See more..
4.0Oak Grove state park(3 reviews) - Excellent county park Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails This is a beautiful little park in the country--lots of rev's and camping sites and yet enough if you just want a picnic table. Places to hike and walk--well maintained--See more..
4.5Otter Creek Marsh(3 reviews) - Love this quaint hotel Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas It's old but very clean and well taken care of. I was traveling from Iowa to Kansas City airport. It's a good place to rest. The owner were very nice and helpful.See more..
5.0Pictured Rocks County Park(3 reviews) - Worth a visit Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Road leading down into the park is closed to vehicles when we visited. Small parking area at the top then paved road winds down the hill. Park and trail we walked was well maintained. Love to go back this summer or fall. See more..
4.0Eden Valley Refuge(3 reviews) - Great place to spend some time Nature & Wildlife Areas Friends rented to shelter for a group picnic. After eating we decided to go for a hike. We went up first to the lookout tower (watch for wasps...one of us got stung) and then to the swinging bridge. The trails were well groomed and the scenery was pleasant to view as we hiked. Nice spot to spend a few hours in nature.See more..
4.5Eagle Lake state park(3 reviews) - Love the nature! Spent 1-2 hours State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails
We love to go out, sit and watch the ducks, geese and other birds. There is also a lot of deer that are there to watch.See more..
Hidden gem for outdoor and hiking enthusiasts. The pond is greatly stocked with fish and the trails seem endless.See more..
4.5Indian Lake Park(3 reviews) - Gem of SE Iowa Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks
Indian Lake Park is a 177-acre park. It is the perfect retreat for a relaxing, back-to-nature experience. A 44-acre no-wake lake offers a peaceful setting for swimming, fishing, canoeing and boating. A 2-mile trail surrounds the lake. There are cabins for rent, multiple sized camper/rv hook up spots as well as primitive camping spots. Hunting and fishing licenses are available here.See more..
4.5Bloody Run creek(3 reviews) - Trout fishing Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests Excellent trout fishing is caught on the right day. It can be very crowded if they’ve just stocked the trout.See more..
4.5Palisades-Dows Preserve and Observatory(3 reviews) - Excellent Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests Real nice and well taken care of! Very nice lace for our graduation party! Nice location! Close to town!See more..
This is a conservation area run by the nature conservancy. Open to the public. Official office is in Letts Iowa (Louisa County) While the Preserve is north in Muscatine countySee more..
4.0Elinor Bedell State Park(3 reviews) - Perfect place for a few days! Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Biking Trails • Nature & Wildlife Areas
We camped with 2 other couples and were able to get sites side by side. They are long pull thru sites. The electric and water are near the back end of the site. Be sure to have enough cord, if you want to park in the center of the pull thru. There are only 7 sites, so book early. It offers biking and walking trails. We stayed in a 31 foot Class C towing a car.See more..
5.0Hickory Hills Park(2 reviews) - A must see Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas A popular location, from camping to hiking even rentals (free actually) for the barn and shelter house. when I first visited the park became attached have to visit the park each year, like to hike the trails and sit and enjoy the park, it is first class by every means. A well kept park the pride of all county parks, The camping is free, and plenty of space between campers and camping spots. A park must be on you to visit list or will miss a park that is one to behold and enjoy.See more..
5.0Twelve Mile lake park(2 reviews) - Great place Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests Wish this were here when I was in high school. They offer fishing, cabins for rent, boating and all on a huge and beautiful lake.See more..
4.5Trappers Bay State Park(2 reviews) - Sassh! People Fishing Spent < 1 hour State Parks • Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
A lovely Saturday evening, a light breeze blowing, the sun setting and a few boats were humming on the lake... a perfect setting for a walk! We watched a group of migrating pelicans splashing in the water. Further on, a muskrat dove in for cover. But we were quiet, for quite a few people were fishing from the shoreline. We walked on the roadway, I didn’t notice any pathways. Traffic was light.See more..
5.0Deep River Timber Wildlife area(2 reviews) - Drop dead gorgeous Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas The RAGBRAI 2018 route took us through Deep River. I grew up in Iowa, and I've never heard of this place. I was blown away by the views as you roll into town. The rolling landscape and timber wildlife area was beautiful. I was planning to blow through the town, but altered my thinking to explore the timber area. It was fantastic. I wish I had more time to enjoy it, but what I did see was beautiful.See more..
4.0Chain-O-Lakes wildlife area(2 reviews) - Nice nature and wildlife area Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests A nice nature and wildlife area. In mostly it's natural state, it's clean and a nice serene area to relax and take in the nature. It is a bit of a drive off the highway, but it's needed to get into the nature.See more..
4.5Calkins Nature Area(2 reviews) - Great Wildlife area Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas We've driven past the exit on Highway 20 for several years. I've always been interested in checking it out since my name is "Calkins". As it turns out, I may be related to the gentleman who donated his farm for the area. Homer Calkins. I has Calkins relatives that were in the area about the same time that he was. There is a building that houses birds and a building that houses animals as well as bird. A separate building has snakes and turtles. The main building has classrooms and Indian artifacts and is being enlarged with additional artifacts. There is a bee and butterfly house also. A trail system leads off the back of the property down to a pretty creek and separate trails.See more..
