Hike Cedar River Trail To Cedar Valley Nature Trail

Where's the fun in driving right up to your scenic destination? Here's how we had a more adventurous day at the lake by hopping off the beaten path: Just as you enter the park from County Road F16 coming out of the small town of Solon, IA you will see a small, grass parking lot on your right (this lot has been marked by the pin on the map below). On the opposite side of the street is the entran...

From the Maquoketa Caves State Park office, near the parking area, hike north for access to 8 of the 16 caves in the park. These caves include Wide Mouth Cave, Dug Out Cave, Twin Arch Cave, Hernando's Hideaway, Up-N-Down Cave, Widow Cave, Match Cave, and Upper Dancehall Cave. Other attractions in the northern half of the park include the Natural Bridge and the northern section of Racoon Creek.I...

The Swinging Bridge is one of the main attractions in Columbus Junction, Iowa. The highway runs straight through town. As you drive into town you will see multiple signs about the bridge. About half-way through town you will take a left, and the bridge is only a few yards away. It is free to walk across the bridge. The bridge is a fun place to hang out with friends and relax. We tied a hammock...

This year for Earth day, I decided to hike one of my favorite trails near Waterloo, Robinson Bird Sanctuary. I love exploring this area during the spring season because of the beautiful Bluebell flowers that cover the woods. The colors are so bright and imaginative on the trail, it makes it feel as if you're hiking through a fairy tale. I wanted to capture the trails beauty during spring blosso...

Wild Cat Den State Park is located between Blue Grass, Iowa and Muscatine, Iowa, just south of the Quad Cities. If traveling on Highway 22, look for Wild Cat Den Road. If you are coming from Highway 61, look for Vail Road, and then turn left on to New Era road, which will lead into the park.  Park in the north lot (this is where the pin is located). From the parking lot, the trail splits, howev...

Wildcat Den Trail is a 4 mile loop hike where you may see beautiful wild flowers located near Muscatine, Iowa.