Scott County’s lakes, river, and landscapes offer ideas for a variety of visits. West Lake Park features four lakes and water activities, while Scott County Park puts the focus on hiking trails. There is also a water trail, access to the Wapsipinicon River subject to certain conditions, and winter eagle watching. You can tailor your choice to your interests: Are you most interested in water, trails, wildlife watching, or cultural discoveries?
Lakes and Hiking Trails as Different Focal Points
West Lake Park covers 620 acres and has four lakes that can be used for fishing, swimming, or both. If you’re looking for a specific water activity for your visit, you can find both of these options at the same park; you can decide which one to focus on based on your interests. Scott County Park offers hiking trails. Its focus differs from the lakes and water activities at West Lake Park: here, you can plan your visit around hiking rather than fishing or swimming. The choice is clear: Should hiking, or lakes and water activities, be the main focus of this outing?
River Landscapes and Water Trails
The Wapsi River Environmental Education Center is located on the Wapsipinicon River. Its 225-acre grounds include upland and floodplain forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Nature enthusiasts can appreciate this range of features: the center’s riverfront setting is complemented by several distinct landscape types. When river and site conditions are favorable, visitors can reach the Wapsipinicon River via an environmentally sensitive access point on the River Trail. Since access is explicitly dependent on river and site conditions, check conditions before your visit.
The Iowa DNR Bends to Beaches Water Trail makes a stop in Scott County. If you’re planning to travel this route, check conditions and access before setting out. These two notes address different planning questions: access to the Wapsipinicon at the center is possible only when river and site conditions are favorable, while the water trail makes a stop in Scott County.
Another water-related location is the LeClaire Levee. It has a boat ramp, parking, picnic areas, and a veterans memorial. The levee therefore combines practical facilities with a place of remembrance.
Winter Wildlife Watching and Golf
In winter, Lock and Dam 14 offers nature photographers the best opportunity to observe bald eagles in the continental United States. If this kind of wildlife watching is a priority for you, the winter timing is a specific point to consider when planning.
Glynns Creek Golf Course has a different focus. It features a large driving range where PGA professionals offer assistance. Golf enthusiasts can therefore find both a practice facility and the support on offer.
Self-Guided Tours, Museum Experiences, and Veterans
Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village offers a self-guided tour. This format lets you explore the Pioneer Village on your own. At the Putnam Museum’s Science Center, visitors can play a laser harp. If this activity is a priority for your visit, check the current exhibit information in advance, as the exhibits may change.
The Freedom Rock Tour was created by Freedom Rock artist Ray “Bubba” Sorenson II and is intended to promote tourism and foster appreciation for veterans. The tour thus combines a tourism destination with an explicit connection to veterans.
Discover more destinations: Davenport, Bettendorf, Le Claire, Walcott, Eldridge, Worth County, Story, Marshall.
Return to the main travel overview: Iowa.
