Hike Swiss Valley Nature Preserve Loop

To get to the trailhead within Mines of Spain, drive to the Dubuque area, turn off of Highway 61/151, and on to Highway 52. From Highway 52, turn left onto Mines of Spain Road until you find the parking lot. Once you park your car, go up the wooden stairs to the trail. From here you can go either way, as it is a loop trail. I would suggest starting to the left. Once you take the left at the top...

The cave is located beneath an outdated (but cool) gift shop on an little old gravel lot at the end of a short country road(Crystal Lake Cave Rd). The cave is about a 1-1.5 mile loop that takes about an hour. The cave is usually pretty cool and can have up to an inch of standing water at certain times of the year. On the old farm property, there's a little picnic area down in a beautiful, shade...

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...

Effigy Mounds provides some of the best hiking opportunities in Iowa. It is located in the state’s northeastern most county, Allamakee County, along the Mississippi River. There are several units, the most notable being the north unit, located right next to the visitor center, and the south unit, which is located a little further down the road. The south unit is less used and less popular, but...

To get to Effigy Mounds National Monument travel to the town of Marquette, Iowa. If you drive north of town about three miles, the road will curve to the left, and the park entrance will be on the right.  After you park, you may take a stop in the Visitor Center to grab a map or any souvenirs. From the Visitor Center, follow the deck to the left side of the building to the bridge.  Once you c...

You can make campground reservations ahead of time or drive into the park to talk to a ranger, and reserve a hike-in campsite for the a night.Once you're all set up, you can hike to the beach of Cox Hollow Lake to hang out, go for a swim, or snap a few sunset photos.There are beaches on both Cox Hollow and Twin Valley Lakes. Canoes are available for rent in the summer. After breakfast you can ...