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    Beaver Creek Valley State Park

    4.0 (1 review)

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    8 years ago

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    Whitewater State Park - Visitor's Center

    Whitewater State Park

    4.4(23 reviews)
    37.0 mi

    My furry friend group chose this spot for our big annual camping trip! There were 86 of us total,…read moreand we utilized the Group Site that has several cabins available, plus a main cabin that serves as the place to gather and eat with a full kitchen and walk-in fridge. I really enjoyed the cozy feel to the cabins, which have wonderfully rustic wooden paneling and floors. Our cabin had two wings with four bunk beds each, plus a center room with a large bed (ideal, no doubt, for scouting purposes). The cabins are heated by thermostat and there are a few electrical outlets, but no other amenities that I was aware of. The main cabin had a large center fire pit that made the whole place wonderfully cozy. Also included are several long tables with benches to sit at, as well as additional chairs with backs to gather around the firepit. There are electrical outlets too. Flooring was a mix of wood and tile. There are also restrooms nearby, which include toilets, sinks, and showers. Separated by gender, male and female. The designated parking lot for the Group Site was able to accommodate around 40-45 cars, which served our purposes well. There is also a small roundabout that leads up to the main cabin for ease of unpacking/dropping off gear. All these amenities made the long-weekend very enjoyable! This isn't a huge park by any means, but even in the icy snow, I was able to enjoy a few of the trails while there. The alphabetical trail markings confused me a bit at first, but then I realized it was how the park was indicating "you are here" without customizing each sign. At the trailheads are large informational signs that give you the distance, difficulty, and features you'll see on said trail. The river that cuts through here is really gorgeous. It was partially frozen over during our visit, and we got some flurries while we were camping, which covered everything in a beautiful fresh coat of white powder. Got some great photos and great memories. I was a bit bummed that the Nature Store wasn't open (it's seasonal), because I am a sucker for souvenirs on sightseeing trips to parks and such.

    Whitewater is a gorgeous park with some varied scenery. There are a lot of neat formations to check…read moreout such as the bluffs, forests, rivers, and more. There are some easy to more challenging hikes available. There are also a lot of nice amenities and a beach area.

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    Whitewater State Park - Inspiration Point

    Inspiration Point

    Whitewater State Park - Inspiration Point

    Inspiration Point

    Whitewater State Park

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    Effigy Mounds National Monument

    Effigy Mounds National Monument

    4.5(31 reviews)
    41.5 mi

    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.

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    Effigy Mounds National Monument
    Effigy Mounds National Monument - Souvenirs

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    Effigy Mounds National Monument

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    Beaver Creek Valley State Park - parks - Updated September 2026

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