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.

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.

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 :)

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.

I absolutely love this place. Limestone cliffs, ravines, bird watching, fishing & hiking. It's not…read moretoo far from Chicago & is a place that makes you happy...breathe in the fresh air, listen to the river water & the sound of birds. Bring your waterproof knee high boots to walk in the river & fishing gear. It's a great stop on your way to Galena. It's off the stagecoach trail so be warned that you may not get reception for some areas so have a map or know some of your logistics. Make sure your GPS has the right location, the state park & not the campgrounds.

My review may be a bit different than other people but during my time here I absolutely enjoy the…read moreviews but what I did not enjoy here were the amenities featured. The bathrooms here were absolutely in shambles and the maintenance at the park is pretty bad. Please be cautious that your GPS will not work in this area either. Poorly labeled trails as well where you can get lost.

Great local spot for a long walk or bike ride. In the winter I have taken my snowmobile and it is a…read morenew flat trail that seems to go forever. Really looking forward to getting back on it for some riding!

We stopped at the Park that is part of this trail for a picnic lunch, walk our dogs and stretch…read moreour legs. The park has a covered picnic area and a pond where people were fishing and watching ducks. We only walked a small portion of the trail, but the part we did use was easy to handle using a wheelchair. We plan on coming back to try more after I get my off-road chair!

This trail was the most beautiful of them all there's so many side trails besides the main one and…read morethe sceneries are breathtaking!

I can't believe I hadn't heard of this place before starting to research a spring break trip…read more Effigy national monument is super close to Minnesota and should be a must see, must visit for anyone living in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa or Illinois within three hours. There's no entrance fee, but there's still several friendly and helpful rangers at the station as well as the museum explaining the significance. It is a very culturally important site to come up with mound stating back more than 1000 years. The scenery is outstanding. Is it the confluence of two rivers, you can see far and either direction if you hike to several of the scenic landing spots. We put in a good 5 mile hike and didn't even reach all of the places. It's great for history, cultural, and hiking. Highly recommend.

As my first Yelp review in the state of Iowa, Effigy Mounds National Monument was created in 1949…read moreby a proclamation from President Truman (National parks have to be created via an act of Congress, while a monument can be done with just the President). Its original size was about 1,000 acres, with historians believing Native Americans started building them in the shape of animals during 750 to 1200, well before European contact. The visitor center and museum is open daily from 9 - 4:30, with plentiful parking along the large circular driveway. Volunteers at the visitor center were friendly and helpful, giving us a brief history of the site. There are long hikes emanating from the visitor center. We didn't go very far, instead walking on wooden land bridges to get close to nearby mounds. and then turning back to the parking lot.

I was traveling back to California and was looking for a place to camp for the night so I yelped…read moreand up to a list of campgrounds in Eastern Iowa. One wasn't rated but that didn't scare me. I called and a nice person named Annette answered and said that yes they were open. I found the place with help from signs leading to the place. I was met and checked in with Annette. Found out that I would have a tent area to myself as it was during the week. I bought some firewood and Annette's husband John delivered it to my site, which was on the river. Very peaceful. They had the usual amenities I.E full hookups plus volleyball, horseshoe pits, showers, hiking and horse trails and a nice beach. John and Annette have a real nice place there. Go check it out.

Excellent campground! Fun tubing down the river! Lots of trees and that means shade, yet as much…read moresun as you want. There's a playground, beach, and lots to do. If you like hiking and relaxing with excellent tent sites and full RV hookups this is for you. We love this campground and look forward in coming back.

I've never been big on swimming in lakes but summer in Iowa is hot and options are limited, so my…read morehusband and I decided to venture out to Lake Macbride one Saturday afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised! The beach area is a little small, particularly on a crowded hot day, but we were able to find space to spread our towels and enjoy the sun. We spent our time cooling off in the water and laying out. We also drove around the park a bit (honestly because we got lost) and found it to be a beautiful area. I definitely plan to go back and try out the boat rental. It's not a boardwalk along the ocean, but probably the best you can do in this area. Tip: bring a cooler full of snacks and beach chairs and umbrellas. We were a bit spoiled from going to bigger beaches and forgot we couldn't just rent/buy whatever we wanted once we got there .

Another state park that has the physical address of the state park and not the campground. If my…read morehusband didn't call Ohio DNR we would have NEVER found it and gone in circles. We got to the park after given a different address. We had electric for 5 minutes and after that it was gone. We called again and they sent a ranger to our site. A tree had gone down and took electric out. We heard two trees fall at that time. Electric came back about 7 pm. They also make you pay for a two day stay, even if you are staying one night. I understand this in a way, because it keeps them booking entire weekend for others. I believe they would end up booking that day again when they see you left.