Great find and well maintained by the state. Great views! Kayaked on the Mississippi River which…read morewas great but came with some current struggles. The boat launch is right across the road from MP. The hosts were nice. They are only checking in people from 12-4. Find your site and your tag is on the post. There are about 10 walk up sites you can get on FCFS basis. Some electric and some primitive sites. Make sure to select the correct one. Beautiful views are with the hike up the cliffs.

We had a family get together here today and rented the pavilion. For $50, you get a really nice…read morebuilding facility that has a fireplace and several large picnic tables. The public restrooms are in this building however, and you will have people coming and going during your event. It wasn't too busy today so not a problem. There is plenty of open grassy area to play, didn't get enough wind to be able to fly the kites, but we were close! But we definitely had a lot of room to kick the soccer ball, throw the football and run around. The grill worked great, it's 4 feet long and we were able to cook plenty of burgers and hotdog and such for the family. There's also a couple of electrical outlets so we were able to plug-in a couple crockpots for beans and such. There are quite a few mice living in this facility, so just be aware of that, but you are out in the country! There are many hikes and such that leave from this location so you could use this as homebase with other family members being able to go out and take a great hike as well. We had a great day and I have a feeling this is going to become a tradition PS. Bring the bug spray :)

My favorite place in the world. Breathtaking and beautiful! Full recharge place mentally.read more

This location has a beautiful scenic view of other states, bluffs and well manicured wide green…read moregrass walkways. Be sure to walk East from the main McKeague overlook (the one with with the Summer/Winter and true North/South markers), on the grassy path over to the next view of the Mississippi River and more flower, foliage and butterfly's.

A truly beautiful hike filled with caves to explore! There are a total of nine caves, ranging in…read moresize from massive walk-through caverns to smaller, single-person passages. Two of the largest caves let you walk straight from one entrance to another, while one of the smaller ones requires squeezing through two tight openings before you can barely stand inside--definitely an adventure! The trails are not wheelchair accessible. The full hike took us about three hours at a steady pace. I'd recommend bringing a flashlight for exploring, though it's not absolutely necessary. Between the unique caves and the gorgeous trails, this park is a gem. I'll definitely be returning to Maquoketa Caves in the future!

Fun and interesting state park with plenty of caves to see...but wear good shoes for climbing and…read morewalking along steep paths and clothing that will probably get dirty (layers are best as the caves can get cold). Many of the caves have streams running through which are very cool but can also cause slips and falls... I'd also be careful of some of the off-the-beaten-track paths as one led us to some pretty steep cliffs. And again don't underestimate the slipperiness of even the regular paths... The gift shop is just a few tables set up outside of a shelter-type open building (I had to get my usual magnets) in the parking lot, and the visitors center is a separate building off of the main road (Caves Road) and 98. The visitors center has a few interesting displays and we watched a film about the history of the park, Well worth a visit, and especially recommend seeing the Dance Hall Caves....

Maiden voyage at this location was quite the surprise. In the middle of rolling luscious green…read morehills. It felt pretty safe with the warden and Ranger making frequent passes. The host was very friendly and helpful with the 411. The sites are close enough together that it doesn't feel very remote though. Unfortunately, it was very extremely high temperatures so I didn't get to explore the hiking trails. But the beach and amphitheater were definitely worth checking out. Educational programs and food truck Saturdays. Wi-Fi is a little spotty so they recommend cash. The grounds are very clean as well as the restrooms and showers. Definitely feels like you're someplace else even if you're from the state of Wisconsin.

What a hidden gem of a state park. They have a beautiful beach with yellow sand. The lake was huge…read moreand looked perfect for skiing and fishing. There are tons of picnic tables and plenty of people had parties meeting up at the beach. The bathrooms by the beach were pits, but were well maintained. The pit toilets did have a good amount of coop flies. The campground had very nice bathrooms, and has showers for after your swim. Many of the campsites were further from the road which made it a bit more secluded and gave us a sense of privacy. Will definitely be back!

Beautiful and extensive trails over a surprisingly large area, many along or near pretty waterways…read more....there are several well marked parking lots near the trail heads. We did get lost trying to find the nature center which didn't seem connected to the part of the park we first arrived in...it seems there are two separate entrances? Fortunately we were near the cool castle-like tower, the Julien Dubuque Monument, which offers stunning panoramic views of the Mississippi and of the city of Dubuque. Definitely would like to come back for more hiking here!

Mines of Spain is a go to place for me and has been for years. A wonderful scenic outdoor space…read more Great for hiking.

Traveling the river and staying in Dubuque overnight. Anxious to visit the park because all the…read morepositive reviews. Everything says it's open. (looking at you Yelp) ITS CLOSED. SEASONAL! Thank goodness there's lots of history to find in the oldest Iowa town. The one star is for all the review sights that don't check details.

Absolutely amazing view of the Mississippi River Valley flew my drone over the river and took some…read morepictures like no other it's definitely a must see for Dubuque Iowa

If you are looking for an easy, grassy trail with a lot of greenery and views of the water from a…read moredistance, this is a good hike. Pet friendly too and "Mutt Mitts" at the trail head if you need them. I only wished we could have found the trail that was closer to the water but the mid-day hike made it a very warm trip and a little buggy too. The open fields with wild flowers were so pretty and the grassy trail is well kept. We also really appreciated the benches, picnic tables and covered Pavillion along the way so you could stop in the shade and drink some water. Pretty views of the Mighty Mississippi, even though many of the views are a little obstructed. I'll bet it's pretty here in the Fall. The parking lot is a trip to get to on the narrow dirt/gravel driveway but it is not too far back from the road. A lot of interesting scenery on the way to this trail on Blackjack road.

The word bluff may be overstating this outlook point. The trails were mowed paths about the effigy…read moremounds. There wasn't a lot of signage. It was a fine stop for 30 minutes or so. I wouldn't list it as a "hiking" experience.

Walk the trails. I found a scroll hidden and it lead me on a scavenger hunt…read more BEAUTIFUL. Well worth the free admission. So peaceful I was the only one there. I love the road less traveled What a find

If you an outdoor enthusiast, a hiker, biker, and lover of great scenery, you will love what JCDF…read moredoes and offers to the residents and visitors of Jo Davies's County. Staffed mostly by volunteers, they fill the void or lack of a local "Park District" by securing land, preserving, and maintain it for public use. You can visit the following places to enjoy birding, hiking, dog-walking, effigy mounds, and picnicking: Buehler Preserve, Casper Bluff, and Keough Effigy Mounds in Galena, Schurmeier Teaching Forest in Elizabeth, and Wapelle Land and Water Reserve. Another restoration is in process at Gateway Park in Galena which boasts beautiful views or downtown Galena. Also, if you're visiting Galena, make sure to visit and hike Horseshoe Mound, which has commanding views of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. JDCF also has a monthly narrated tour of Horseshoe, and a number of other educational programs for anyone who wants to attend. Great family events, too like picnics and nature tours for kids. You can learn a lot about the whole Driftless Area from their programs and publications, too. They are funded completely by memberships and grants. One incredible asset to Galena and other communities in this northwest corner of Illinois.

What a great couple that runs this place. We couldn't canoe because the river is well above safe…read morelevels. But they were awesome local guides for us! And they have great prices on really good firewood. Not the junky stuff you get at the hardware store. We will definitely be back to canoe when the river levels drop.

Company shut down early on day of reservation, leaving our party with one too-few canoesread more