Parks & Preserves

Iowa State Parks

Iowa State Parks offer fun and natural beauty with activities for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and appealing to a wide variety of interests.

Clear Lake State Park
6490 S Shore Dr, Clear Lake, IA 50428 641.357.4212

McIntosh Woods State Park
1200 East Lake St, Ventura, IA 50482
641.829.3847

Pilot Knob State Park
2148 340th St, Forest City, IA 50436
641.581.4835

Rice Lake State Park
43000 235th Ave, Lake Mills, IA 50450
641.581.4835

Iowa State Park Passport

With the Iowa State Park Passport, you’re a road trip away from an adventure. Discover Iowa’s state park system, check in to track your progress and earn prizes. It’s free to sign up and the more parks you visit, the more chances for prizes you earn!

County Parks

Visit mycountyparks.com for a listing of all of Iowa's County Parks. Follow the links to each of these nearby counties for a complete listing of their parks and amenities.

Winnebago

Worth

Mitchell

Floyd

Cerro Gordo

Hancock

Iowa State Preserves

Iowa has five categories of preserves: natural, geological, archeological, historical and scenic. Many qualify for preserve status in multiple categories. To download a PDF of Iowa's State Preserves Guide visit iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Preserves

Bird Hill State Preserve
Fossil-rich geological preserve featuring diverse, abundant, well-preserved marine fauna. Located in Cerro Gordo County.  Map

Hoffman Prairie State Preserve
Biological and geological preserve featuring a prairie pothole surrounded by tallgrass prairie that originate from glacial advances into north central Iowa about 13,000 years ago. Located in Cerro Gordo County.  Map

Claybanks Forest State Preserve
Geological preserve known historically as "Hackberry Grove". It features 375-million-year-old rocks of shale and limestone with Devonian fossils. Located in Cerro Gordo County.  Map

Pilot Knob State Preserve
Biological preserve inside of Pilot Knob State Park. It features a forested, steep-sided hill created by deposits from glacial melting.  Located in Hancock County. Map

Hayden Prairie State Preserve
Biological state preserve and National Natural Landmark. Remnant of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem that once made up about 80 percent of Iowa. Contains over 200 plant species, 46 species of native grassland birds and over 20 butterflies. Noted for display of shooting stars. Located in Howard County. Map