Large, old silver maples shade Hopeville Square Park, which covers four acres. The park also has two shelters. But Clarke County is more than this compact green space: prairie, oak and hickory forests, ponds, and trails each offer a different setting—and Osceola adds historic sites to the mix.
Landscapes of Prairie, Forest, and Water
The 287-acre Coyote Canyon Wildlife Area is open to the public and combines restored prairie with dense oak and hickory forest. The 193-acre Oakwood Wildlife Area includes wilderness and hunting areas, as well as a grassland wildflower plot. Every summer, the Clarke County Conservation Board holds several evening wildflower walks there. Together, the two areas bring open landscapes and forest into view in different ways.
The Vawn Wildlife Area covers 202 acres of wilderness and hunting areas and has two ponds, where fishing is available. The Green Pine Wildlife Area has picnic facilities, while hunting in wooded areas is possible at the Turkey Ridge Wildlife Area. The Clarke County Conservation Board provides county residents and the general public with nearly 1,000 acres in total for outdoor recreation.
The parks around Osceola also offer a variety of activities. On the outskirts of town, East Lake Park has a 15-acre lake where canoeing and boating with electric motors are allowed. Osceola’s Grade Lake Park offers fishing, birdwatching, and hiking. By the water and along the trails, you’ll find different ways to spend time outdoors.
Trails and Getting Your Bearings Around Osceola
The Hembry Pathway is a concrete trail about two-thirds of a mile long. It connects several destinations in the Clarke County Recreation Complex. Osceola’s trail network also includes connections to East Lake Park in the southeast of town and to the loop trail at Q-Pond in the northwest. For a sense of location: Murray Roadside Park is on U.S. Highway 34, ten miles west of Osceola; Redfern Timber Reserve is four miles southeast of town.
Osceola’s historic downtown has also changed: improvements there include pedestrian-friendly measures, new lighting, and upgraded public spaces. Natural attractions and the urban landscape are different aspects to consider when planning a trip, so every outing doesn’t have to have the same focus.
Music and History
Osceola’s historic business district has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since January 19, 2018. The main area of the Clarke County Historical Museum presents life in early Clarke County through exhibit rooms designed to resemble rooms in a family home of the time. The museum complex also includes an authentic log cabin, a rural schoolhouse, a farm machinery shed, and an outbuilding.
Another event with a set time of year is the Hopeville Rural Music Reunion: it takes place every September on the Sunday after Labor Day at Hopeville Square Park. If you’re planning your trip around the festival, check the dates for the specific year.
At Sevenmile Creek Camp Swales, visible trail remnants from the 1846 Mormon exodus from Nauvoo are rare. The meadow there is closed to the public. Keep this restriction in mind when planning a visit to this historic site.
Whether you’re interested in summer wildflower walks, activities on the water, or Osceola’s history, Clarke County offers a range of specific places and experiences to explore.
Discover more destinations: Osceola, Cerro Gordo County, Plymouth County, Montgomery County, Linn, Winneshiek County, Lucas County, Kossuth County.
For the broader travel overview: Iowa.
