great scenery and ambience with the stream running and different levels of view places to hike…read moreand views are spectacular highly recommend coming here

Nice little state park for an extended weekend. Please note that there are no shower facilities or…read moreflush toilets. Vault style only. The park features two camping areas. We stayed in Canyon Ridge, which is non electric. All 50 sites were spacious and clean. The camp host and a few area residents sold firewood, which was a nice surprise The park has a number of hiking trails that are short, but challenging. Many lead to, or start at the Apple River, so there is plenty to keep kids occupied.

I've been to the park area a few times for family gatherings and the shelters are always very nice…read more This year my mom decided that while the whole family was home for Christmas we would go snowshoeing on the trails out at Swiss Valley Nature Center. Since we had a heat wave and the temperature broke 40 degrees it was a beautiful day to be outside but not really the best snow to snowshoe in. But in the dead of winter, you have to take warm days when you get them. The Nature Center has snowshoes to rent for free. They have two different sizes for adults and I'm guessing they weren't super high quality snowshoes but they worked fine for us. We went on a Saturday and the selection was fairly picked over and we had to have ours back in 2 hours. You can call and reserve the shoes ahead of time and I would highly recommend doing that on the weekends. The trails were well marked and there were quite a few options for trails to take. There are also cross-country ski trails that are groomed if you are into that. The woman helping us at the nature center thought you could rent cross-country skies from Kunert Sports. We picked a hilly route and although I consider myself in-shape I was huffing and puffing going up the steepest climb. The sites were beautiful and very worth it though.

A great place to hike near Dubuque. As the name suggests, the nature preserve is located in a…read morevalley just west of town. There's a nature center at the trailhead, and a campground just down the road. The trails span a variety of habitats, and are long and hilly enough to get your heart rate pumping if you so desire. A nice alternative to the Mines of Spain.

This is a really nice park for easy hikes with outstanding views…read more Lookout point is a must with a beautiful view of the Wisconsin river flowing into the Mississippi. The sand caves loop is an easy shaded hike perfect for hot days (with bug repellent). Driving down to the boat landing also give an interesting view from the fishing platform. Overall a really nice park.

We were here as part of a Nature Foundation of Wisconsin outing so we were lucky to have the park's…read moresuperintendent as one of our tour guides. We hiked along the trail that overlooked both the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. It was beautiful. Lots of interesting birds, plant life and history. There are many beautiful vistas and historic/ geographical plaques and markers to help explain the area. The flood marker at the boat launch was impressive. We were only here for the day but we could see how this is a popular place for camping. We understand in summer that the mosquitoes can be fierce - lucky we were here in May. We brought our picnic lunch to the far south end of the park at the Henneger Point picnic area and had it to ourselves. A very nice state park.

Wanted to experience the Mississippi River while in town and made our way to the Riverwalk. It was…read morea weekday and it was relatively quiet. The weather was amazing so we enjoyed a nice stroll viewing all of the interesting art along the way and stopping to watch the various birds who were enjoying the river as well. A beautiful and well maintained place.

Scenic and clean, that's what I want in a walk. It's like a long curvy park, wonderful views of…read morethis immense and unbelievable river. Good for mild exercise, it's just the right distance. Good for meeting people and being friendly, but you can also keep your distance and contemplate by yourself. It's also the best walking path from the Grand River Conference Center, which has a big back door and deck onto the Riverwalk, to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. I found myself wondering, what did those French explorers think when they ran into this monstrous waterway? What indigenous technology from their guides helped them across? Turns out the newest part of the museum has these answers. I do wish Dubuque put this much consideration for pedestrian traffic into the rest of the downtown area. There aren't many crosswalks, and not enough stop signs for walking from downtown towards the river. Just look both ways before crossing the street and don't text and walk.

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 :)

Wonderful trails in recent early morning hike with my adult daughter. Just watch out for tree…read moreroots which one finds in beautiful woods.

No matter the season, the Woodpecker Nature Trail is one of my most favorite places to hike in the…read moreEastern Iowa Area. You can access this trail both from N. Dubuque Street (look for the Squire Point sign) and near the Coralville Reservoir. There are lots of smaller trails that connect to the larger loop, so you really can choose your own adventure depending on how much time you have and whether you want your hike to be hilly or flat. It weaves through a variety of trees that are very pretty during the spring or fall, and the main trail traces the water line, which makes for some beautiful views. There are several bridges that go over small streams, and plenty of overlooks to appreciate nature (or snap that perfect selfie). Get after it!

It's been a wonderful two week stay at the Illiniwek Forest Preserve. There are lots of trees, it's…read morenear the Mississippi River, clean bathrooms, and firewood available. They have electric and water, but no sewer. They do have a dump station. There are towns nearby to find groceries, restaurants and shopping. The preserve has a playground, volleyball, biking/walking paths, and a nearby park with an 18 hole disc golf. We met many friendly families and had beautiful sunsets. The staff is very friendly and the sheriff patrols the site every day making you feel safe.

Staying here was my first camping experience since moving to the Quad Cities, and we had a great…read moretime! We camped with four adults and three preschool aged children and there was plenty for all of us to do. We stayed along the river at a tent site, and had plenty of space. The campgrounds were clean and quiet, and only $16 for the night. With little ones, it was especially great that there are clean, stocked restrooms. We really enjoyed being on the river at our site, but also the easy walk along the bike trail that connects to other parks. Overall, I highly recommend this site for easy, nearby camping.

This family owned cave offers a wonderful intimate experience for those who would like to do a…read morelittle more than walk around in large caverns. The owners worked very hard to make your experience a positive one. They encourage you to get down and dirty as you explore the different parts of the cave. Wear some old jeans, a sweatshirt, and be prepared for fun.

This family owned cave offers a wonderful intimate experience for those who would like to do a…read morelittle more than walk around in large caverns. The owners worked very hard to make your experience a positive one. They encourage you to get down and dirty as you explore the different parts of the cave. Wear some old jeans, a sweatshirt, and be prepared for fun.