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All First Day Hikes for Jan. 1, 2018 Canceled Due to Frigid Temperatures

All First Day Hikes for Jan. 1, 2018 Canceled Due to Frigid Temperatures

  • 12/29/2017 2:25:00 PM
  • View Count 6403
DES MOINES – With temperatures predicted to dip well below zero, the Iowa DNR has decided to cancel First Day Hikes at 27 state parks scheduled for New Year’s Day. “While it’s a great disappointment to us to cancel this event, the safety of park visitors comes first,” said Todd Coffelt, State Parks Bureau Chief. “We know that frost bite can set in fairly quickly at those cold temperatures, so we are using caution in making this decision.”
Hiding Out in Union Grove

Hiding Out in Union Grove

  • 11/7/2017 2:27:00 PM
  • View Count 10911
Grab a backpack and discover this best-kept secret among Iowa’s state parks. Spend the day—or a season.
Fall is hawk watch time

Fall is hawk watch time

  • 10/10/2017 2:36:00 PM
  • View Count 11845
Fall is when birds of prey migrate. Attend a Hawk Watch event to see and learn about fascinating raptors!
Spreading monarch-saving seed balls

Spreading monarch-saving seed balls

  • 9/6/2017 9:30:00 AM
  • View Count 17172
Milkweed Matters began in 2014 when group founder Kelly Guilbeau began throwing loose milkweed seeds along the RAGBRAI route. The following year, seed ball dispersal began with 2,000 thrown during the ride in collaboration with another organization; Monarchs in Eastern Iowa. Last year the number of seed balls jumped to 58,459—made at 79 different events statewide by 3,406 people. 
How do fish breathe?

How do fish breathe?

  • 8/4/2017 11:50:00 AM
  • View Count 196914
Humans and fish both require oxygen to survive. The difference is, we get our oxygen through air while fish get it through water.
Osprey: fishing perfection in feathers

Osprey: fishing perfection in feathers

  • 6/23/2017 2:30:00 PM
  • View Count 15652
From a hundred feet in the air, a hovering angler folds its wings, silently slipping downward like lightning from the sky, careening until a four-foot portion of the lake thunders into plumes of diamondized water droplets.
Flathead catfish: Iowa's Dracula of the Deep

Flathead catfish: Iowa's Dracula of the Deep

  • 6/22/2017 3:24:00 PM
  • View Count 29170
They are the aquatic version of Count Dracula, quietly resting in the same dark, hidden location by day, and prowling for living prey by night. And like a vampire, they are legendary for both their great physical strength and ability to achieve a ripe old age.
Glamping: Decoration and Recreation Gone Wild

Glamping: Decoration and Recreation Gone Wild

  • 6/8/2017 11:19:00 AM
  • View Count 20235
Glamping is a marriage between the words “glamour” and “camping.” Original glampers coveted the escapism of camping with the amenities and comforts of home. It has since become a popular term among women who turn vintage campers into personalized, stylized retreats.
June is Great Outdoors month

June is Great Outdoors month

  • 5/30/2017 2:24:00 PM
  • View Count 4404
Iowa’s 2017 summer recreation season got off to a great start with a beautiful Memorial Day weekend and there are plenty more summer days ahead to enjoy the outdoors.
Outdoor education workshops scheduled

Outdoor education workshops scheduled

  • 5/16/2017 12:16:00 PM
  • View Count 4158
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is sponsoring workshops for K –12 educators on Iowa’s outdoors this summer. 
A Spring Quadfecta

A Spring Quadfecta

  • 4/7/2017 11:15:00 AM
  • View Count 25147
Last year was the first year I attempted a spring quadfecta: a turkey, a limit of trout, morels and wild asparagus.
Unplug at Pictured Rocks Park

Unplug at Pictured Rocks Park

  • 3/10/2017 2:58:00 PM
  • View Count 17180
The first oar through the cool clear water sends ripples of excitement down my spine. I’ve never canoed the Maquoketa River from Monticello to Pictured Rocks Park/Indian Bluffs, but trust the stream will get me there safely.
Go south for spring break - in Iowa

Go south for spring break - in Iowa

  • 3/1/2017 2:14:00 PM
  • View Count 14154
In Keokuk—Iowa’s southernmost city—it’s always numerous degrees warmer, so cozy up with eagles, ducks and pelicans and a fancy bed in Lee County.
Action cameras: a user's overview

Action cameras: a user's overview

  • 2/16/2017 3:36:00 PM
  • View Count 9537
Walk through many outdoor stores and videos are playing non-stop—skiers in powdery snow on a mountaintop, divers swimming in crystal clear water or incredible views of wildlife from unusual perspectives. The videos are outstanding and help sell action cameras. But, for the ordinary person, do the cameras justify the expense? Are the cameras worth the trouble? What should you look for in an action camera?
Warden's Diary: Wild Things

Warden's Diary: Wild Things

  • 2/3/2017 3:54:00 PM
  • View Count 21188
“Welcome to Wild Things,” I told the group, “You will find that Wild Things is different than school. Here, it’s okay to get dirty. It’s okay to get muddy. It’s okay to get wet.” A big grin broke out on every kid’s face. And so began the first session of “Wild Things,” my new after-school program. 
Get creative with venison cabbage rolls

Get creative with venison cabbage rolls

  • 2/3/2017 3:20:00 PM
  • View Count 11937
Cabbage rolls are pure comfort food. Savory meat, grain and seasonings wrapped in a slightly sweet, slightly bitter cabbage leaf that absorbs other flavors well—baked, simmered, slow cooked or fried—nestled in a sweet, savory, tangy or creamy sauce. So pull out some ground venison, and try out this traditional cabbage roll recipe.
Bellevue: A winter escape between the bluffs

Bellevue: A winter escape between the bluffs

  • 2/3/2017 2:22:00 PM
  • View Count 17016
Think there’s nothing to do in Iowa in deep winter? Bellevue’s abundant bald eagles, active main street and quirky lodging may change your mind.
Be bold and try winter camping

Be bold and try winter camping

  • 1/11/2017 8:47:00 AM
  • View Count 17690
Let’s face it—winter camping has some initial challenges, but the rewards are silence, serenity and having big places to yourself. Create active daytimes with hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, then be prepared for winter’s long nights with good lighting gear to illuminate camp. Breaking into winter camping isn’t hard, but you’ll rely on good gear and solid skills. Here’s a  few basics.
How do plants come back each year if they die in the winter?

How do plants come back each year if they die in the winter?

  • 1/10/2017 10:23:00 AM
  • View Count 25758
As the wind grows cooler, leaves drop and snow begins to fall, it’s easy to look at a shriveled, brown plant in the yard and think it’s dead. But that’s just what’s above the surface. Below ground, the plant is still alive, just settled in for a long winter’s nap.
Take a winter retreat at Lake of Three Fires

Take a winter retreat at Lake of Three Fires

  • 12/8/2016 4:22:00 PM
  • View Count 18391
For a weekend getaway with friends, where nothing will interrupt relaxation or quiet connecting, this southern Iowa park, 25 miles east of Clarinda, is ideal.
Why do bats hang upside down?

Why do bats hang upside down?

  • 12/8/2016 3:06:00 PM
  • View Count 75207
Unlike birds, bats have trouble with takeoffs from the ground. Their wings are not as strong as those of birds and they cannot run fast enough to build up flight speed. Bats have an easier time flying when they start already in the air. They use their front claws on their wings to climb to a high spot and launch themselves to achieve flight.
Why is fire red and yellow?

Why is fire red and yellow?

  • 12/8/2016 2:35:00 PM
  • View Count 41099
While you might first think of the reds and yellows in a campfire, a flame can encompass many colors of the rainbow.
Special $10 offer for Iowa Outdoors magazine

Special $10 offer for Iowa Outdoors magazine

  • 11/29/2016 11:39:00 AM
  • View Count 4307
Do you know someone who loves the outdoors? Give the gift that lasts all year long. Iowa Outdoors is an award-winning magazine filled with beautiful photography, compelling articles and expert tips about hunting, fishing, nature destinations, hiking, camping, outdoor cooking and much more! 
Take a

Take a "Kid" Fishing

  • 11/16/2016 2:00:00 PM
  • View Count 12663
The first day of November looked to be a promising day. I had the morning off to go trout fishing and the weather was cooperating. Like most people, I don’t go fishing nearly often enough so I wanted to share my outing with someone. My husband and kids would all be at work. The grandkids were in school or at the sitter’s. As I considered my options, my husband’s uncle came to mind. 
Why don’t we have earthquakes in Iowa?

Why don’t we have earthquakes in Iowa?

  • 11/7/2016 1:19:00 PM
  • View Count 38600
For most of us living in Iowa, we’re much more familiar with snowstorms and tornadoes. What we do know about earthquakes we’ve likely learned from movies or textbooks, but earthquakes do occasionally rumble in our state.
Meet Wapsipinicon, one of Iowa's most unique state parks

Meet Wapsipinicon, one of Iowa's most unique state parks

  • 11/4/2016 3:31:00 PM
  • View Count 49571
Thus endures one of the many stories, myths, legends and even proven historical facts about Horse Thief Cave, a well-known feature of what is now Wapsipinicon State Park, and, though its tale-inspiring caves are definitely a main draw, Wapsipinicon is so much more. 
A Halloween night fishing on the Turkey River

A Halloween night fishing on the Turkey River

  • 10/27/2016 4:15:00 PM
  • View Count 10055
As boredom and tedium creep into my weary mind, may I reflect back to the hard strike of that big-eyed creature, and the glorious excitement and the deep pull of something new, yet playfully familiar.
A place of your own: grown-up treehouses

A place of your own: grown-up treehouses

  • 10/25/2016 3:48:00 PM
  • View Count 13503
A tree big and strong enough for a treehouse is a tree worth saving. Here’s advice from arborists and treehouse building experts and what three treehouse owners did to minimize impacts on their trees.
Pheasant hunting: The perfect day

Pheasant hunting: The perfect day

  • 10/18/2016 1:49:00 PM
  • View Count 15246
For a lot of hunters, there is one special time among all of your hunting trips that stands out as having been perfect, a day of pure bliss when all the stars line up just right and everything connects at just the right time and in just the right place.
Quail on the rise in Iowa

Quail on the rise in Iowa

  • 10/13/2016 8:52:00 AM
  • View Count 25300
Loren Zaruba looked on in excitement—it was the wildlife identification section of the annual Youth Hunter Education Challenge. He and his wife, Ellen, had spent the last three months working with a handful of young competitors, so when the speaker played a familiar “bob-white” call, Loren beamed. But as the teenagers’ faces turned blank and unsure, he realized that question wasn’t easy anymore—hunter or not, none of the youngsters had seen or heard a bobwhite quail.
Colors of the Driftless

Colors of the Driftless

  • 10/7/2016 3:14:00 PM
  • View Count 15778
Far up in the northeast corner of Iowa lies a tiny gem of a town called Marquette. The town proudly proclaims to be “Iowa’s Best Kept Secret.” In fact, if it wasn’t for the congenial welcome sign that reads “The People of Iowa Welcome You. Iowa: Fields of Opportunities,” most Iowans would never know they were still in the Hawkeye State. Yet, in this area of Iowa, the sign almost seems like a misnomer as there are few fields to see.
Out of the way fall color

Out of the way fall color

  • 9/30/2016 11:17:00 AM
  • View Count 10267
Autumn brings a welcoming crispness to the air. It’s officially fall in the Midwest, and fun abounds statewide for those in search of color and good times outdoors. Yes, northeast Iowa is the top hotspot for fall color, but here are some less trod places with everything from fishing to paddling and hiking. So get out—there is much to explore!
So you think you can mulch

So you think you can mulch

  • 9/28/2016 3:34:00 PM
  • View Count 11765
Mulching can be the best thing you can do to promote the health of trees, shrubs and plants. It can also be the worst, if done improperly. 
Popular Outdoor Expo is September 24-25

Popular Outdoor Expo is September 24-25

  • 9/20/2016 1:05:00 PM
  • View Count 4255
The opportunity for families to experience the fun of Iowa’s outdoors is right around the corner. The Iowa Outdoor Expo is Sept. 24 and 25 at Waterworks Park in Des Moines, which coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, on Sept. 24.
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