Lake Red Rock Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake and is just 10 minutes from Pella, known for its Dutch heritage and 15 minutes from Knoxville, Sprintcar Capital of the World. Lake Red Rock offers camping; shoreline fishing; interpretive programs and access to a paved 13-mile hiking/biking trail. White pelicans migrate through the lake area every spring and fall and large numbers of bald eagles are observed during winter months. A State wildlife management area provides refuge and public hunting.
Mississippi River Pools 11-22 (10 L&D) 23 developed recreation sites along 314 miles of the Mississippi River between Petosi, WI and Saverton, MO. There are several campgrounds and numerous day use sites. The more popular sites are Grant River, Blanding Landing, Pleasant Creek, Bulger's Hollow, Thomson Causeway, Fisherman's Corner, Clark's Ferry, Shady Creek and Blanchard Island. The Mississippi River Visitor's Center is located on Arsenal Island in Rock Island, Illinois at Locks and Dam 15, overlooking the Upper Mississippi River. Visitors can watch a locking procedure and view exhibits all about navigation on the river. The center welcomes over 60,000 people annually and is handicap accessible. From early April through mid-December visitors from around the world come to the visitor's center to watch boats pass through the lock. The visitor's center is open seven days a week with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Day. Visit our web site for more information and directions.
Neal Smith NWR The refuge occupies over 44 percent of the Walnut Creek watershed. The goals are to provide a major environmental education effort using the restoration of the tallgrass prairie oak savanna ecosystem as a cornerstone. The restoration knowledge gained here will be monitored and transferable to other ecosystem restoration projects. The Prairie Learning Center, located 18 miles east of Des Moines, features state of the art interpretive and education programs and facilities. A herd of bison has been reintroduced to the refuge to demonstrate the natural role of large, native grazers in ecosystem reconstruction.
Rathbun Lake Over 700 campsites are available at this 11,000-acre lake in the rolling hills of southern Iowa. Excellent fishing, hunting, sailing, state fish hatchery, and Restaurant and Inn, are major attractions.
Saylorville Lake The Saylorville Lake Project is 26,000 acres, which stretches for over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley in Iowa. A wide variety of recreational activities are available including fishing, picnic areas with group shelters, boat launches, an accessible fishing pier, river fishing, hunting, and a 24-mile paved, multipurpose trail used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking, and in-line skating.
Union Slough NWR Union Slough is all that remains of a preglacial riverbed. The area is a connection or "Union" between two watersheds; that of the Blue Earth river of Minnesota and the East Fork of the Des Moines River. The terrain is nearly flat in which the flow of the water may be determined by the direction of the wind. The refuge is on the eastern edge of the Northern Great Plains. Common native range plants are bluestem, gramas, Indiangrass, coneflower, butterfly milkweed and leadplant, to name a few. Water level management and prescribed fire are two major methods of management that are used on the refuge to improve or maintain the habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species. The Refuge is a major producer of wood ducks, with approximately 2,500 produced annually.
