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State Parks, Preserves, & Public Lands Series


Kevin Mason
Apr 10, 20244 min read
Mini-Wakan State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 99
Located along the north shore of Big Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, a 20-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come...


Kevin Mason
Apr 7, 20244 min read
White Pine Hollow - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 98
Located northwest of Dyersville in Dubuque County, a 708-acre state preserve and forest holds natural and historic treasures. Come along...


Kevin Mason
Mar 31, 20244 min read
Rush Lake - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 97
Located just north of Laurens in Palo Alto County, a 522-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with...


Kevin Mason
Mar 24, 20243 min read
Lake Odessa - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 96
Located in the backwaters of the Mississippi River near Wapello in Louisa County, a 6,465-acre state wildlife complex holds natural and...


Kevin Mason
Mar 17, 20243 min read
Lower Gar State Recreation Area - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 95
Located along the northeastern shore of Lower Gar Lake in Dickinson County, a 20-acre state recreation area holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Mar 10, 20244 min read
Stephens State Forest - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 94
Spreading across the five southern Iowa counties of Clarke, Lucas, Monroe, Appanoose, and Davis, the five-unit, 15,500-acre Stephens...


Kevin Mason
Mar 3, 20241 min read
Iowa History Daily: March 3 - Iowa Moves Toward Statehood
Iowa History Daily: On March 3, 1845, Congress made provision by an act to pave the way for Iowa to enter the union as the 29th state of...


Kevin Mason
Mar 3, 20243 min read
Crystal Lake State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 93
Located in Hancock County, a 25-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we explore...


Kevin Mason
Feb 25, 20244 min read
Cold Springs - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 92
Located between Lewis and Griswold in Cass County, a 104-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on...


Kevin Mason
Feb 18, 20244 min read
Lake Darling - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 91
Located between Richland and Brighton in Washington County, a 1,417-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with...


Kevin Mason
Feb 11, 20244 min read
Lenon Mill State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 90
Located along the Middle Raccoon River in Panora of Guthrie County, a 21-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures....


Kevin Mason
Feb 4, 20244 min read
Eagle Lake State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 89
Located between Garner and Britt in Hancock County, a 21-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on...


Kevin Mason
Jan 28, 20243 min read
Cedar Rock State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 88
Located along the Wapsipinicon River near Independence in Buchanan County, a 426-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures....


Kevin Mason
Jan 21, 20243 min read
Lewis & Clark State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 87
Located near Onawa in Monona County, a 176-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...


Kevin Mason
Jan 14, 20243 min read
Woodman Hollow State Preserve - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 86
Located along the Des Moines River just south of Fort Dodge in Webster County, a 63.5-acre former state park holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Jan 7, 20244 min read
Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 85
Located just northwest of Cedar Rapids in Linn County, a 1,927-acre state recreation area holds natural and historic treasures. Come...


Kevin Mason
Dec 31, 20233 min read
Marble Beach State Recreation Area - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 84
Located along the west shore of Big Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, a 64-acre state recreation area holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Dec 24, 20234 min read
Wilson Island State Recreation Area - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 83
Located along the Missouri River near Missouri Valley in Harrison County, a 544-acre state recreation area holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Dec 17, 20234 min read
Oakland Mills State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 82
Located along the Skunk River near Mt. Pleasant in Henry County, a 104-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come...


Kevin Mason
Dec 10, 20234 min read
Spring Lake State Park - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 81
Located near Grand Junction and Jefferson in Greene County, a 240-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along...


Kevin Mason
Dec 3, 20233 min read
Sharon Bluffs State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 80
Located along the Chariton River east of Centerville in Appanoose County, a 144-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures....


Kevin Mason
Nov 26, 20234 min read
Black Hawk State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 79
Located on the southeastern edge of Lake View in Sac County, an 86-acre state park and adjacent 957-acre lake hold natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Nov 19, 20234 min read
Bixby State Preserve - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 78
Located north of Edgewood in Clayton County, a 184-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on...


Kevin Mason
Nov 12, 20233 min read
Lake Anita State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 77
Located along the Turkey Creek on the southern edge of Anita in Cass County, a 1,062-acre state park holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Nov 5, 20233 min read
Geode State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 76
Located along the Skunk River between Mt. Pleasant and Burlington in Henry County, a 1,640-acre state park holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Oct 22, 20234 min read
Three-Mile Lake Recreation Area - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 73
Located near Afton in Union County, 2700-acre recreation area holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...


Kevin Mason
Oct 15, 20233 min read
Swan Lake State Park - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 73
Located just south of Carroll in Carroll County, a 510-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on...


Kevin Mason
Oct 8, 20233 min read
Rock Creek State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode, 72
Located between Newton and Grinnell near Kellogg in Jasper County, a 1,697-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come...


Kevin Mason
Oct 1, 20234 min read
Lake Cornelia - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 71
Located near Clarion in Wright County, a 122-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa...


Kevin Mason
Sep 24, 20233 min read
Lake Manawa - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 70
Located near Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County, a 1,529-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes...


Kevin Mason
Sep 17, 20234 min read
Shimek State Forest - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 69
Located in Iowa’s southeastern corner near Farmington in Lee and Van Buren counties, a five-unit, 9,448-acre state forest holds natural...


Kevin Mason
Sep 10, 20234 min read
Gitchie Manitou State Preserve - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 68
Located in Iowa’s extreme northwestern corner near Larchwood in Lyon County, a 91-acre state perverse holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
Sep 3, 20235 min read
Yellow River State Forest - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 67
Located in Iowa’s northeastern corner of Allamakee County, a seven-unit, 8,584-acre state forest holds natural and historic treasures....


Kevin Mason
Aug 27, 20234 min read
Lake Wapello State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 66
Located near Drakesville in Davis County, a 1,150-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as...


Kevin Mason
Aug 20, 20234 min read
Springbrook State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 65
Located near Yale in Guthrie County, a 770-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...


Kevin Mason
Aug 13, 20234 min read
Lake Ahquabi State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 64
Located near Indianola in Warren County, a 770-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...


Kevin Mason
Aug 6, 20233 min read
Fish Farm Mounds State Preserve - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 63
Located along the Mississippi River floodplain in extreme northeastern Iowa near New Albin in Allamakee County, a 3-acre state preserve...


Kevin Mason
Jul 30, 20233 min read
Brown's Lake-Bigelow Park, Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 62
Located South of Sioux City near Salix in Woodbury County, a 36-acre former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along...


Kevin Mason
Jul 23, 20230 min read


Kevin Mason
Jul 16, 20233 min read
Prairie Rose State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 60
Located near Harlan in Shelby County, a 422 acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...


Kevin Mason
Jul 9, 20233 min read
Pioneer State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 59
Located between Osage and Riceville along the Little Cedar River in Mitchell County, an 18-acre former state park holds natural and...


Kevin Mason
Jul 2, 20233 min read
Viking Lake State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 58
Located between Stanton and Villisca in Montgomery County, a 1,000 acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with...


Kevin Mason
Jun 18, 20233 min read
Preparation Canyon - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 56
Located near Pisgah in the heart of the Loess Hills on the border between Monona and Harrison counties, a 334-acre state park holds...
Kevin Mason
Jun 4, 20234 min read
Lost Island State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 54
Located north of Ruthven in Palo Alto County, a former state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as...


Kevin Mason
May 28, 20234 min read
Wildcat Den State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 53
Located near the Mississippi River between Muscatine and Davenport in Muscatine County, a 423-acre state park holds natural and historic...


Kevin Mason
May 21, 20233 min read
McIntosh Woods State Park - Notes on Iowa State Parks Series, Episode 52
Located between Clear Lake and Ventura in Cerro Gordo County, a 60-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with...


Kevin Mason
May 14, 20233 min read
Mill Creek State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 51
Located near Paullina in O’Brien County, a 139-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes on Iowa as we...
Kevin Mason
May 7, 20231 min read
Red Haw State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 50
Come along with Notes on Notes on Iowa to explore the history of Red Haw State Park! Located near Chariton, Iowa, in Lucas County, a...


Kevin Mason
Apr 30, 20233 min read
Frank Gotch State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 49
Located four miles south of Humboldt at the confluence of the Des Moines River’s east and west forks in Humboldt County, a 67-acre state...


Kevin Mason
Apr 23, 20233 min read
Margo Frankel Woods State Park - Notes on Iowa State Park Series, Episode 48
Located on the northside of Des Moines in Polk County, a 136-acre state park holds natural and historic treasures. Come along with Notes...
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