At Malanaphy Springs State Preserve, a large spring emerges from a crevice in a high rock wall. The 64-acre preserve lies along the Upper Iowa River. A trail leads from the parking area to the spring and a series of cascades that ends in a ten-foot waterfall.

Water, Rock and Landscape

Another natural feature is Decorah Ice Cave: the preserve covers 3 acres and contains one of the largest known ice caves in the Midwest. At Trout Run Trail, the view turns outward, offering vistas of wooded limestone bluffs, rare algific talus slopes, the Oneota Valley, and the Upper Iowa River. The ice cave and trail offer different perspectives: a remarkable cave formation in one place, named valley and river landscapes in another.

Dunning's Spring Park adds other features to the water landscape. The park includes a waterfall surrounded by limestone cliffs, a footpath, and a lookout point. A stone bridge is also part of the site; it was built by local stonemason Ted Wilson. While at Malanaphy Springs State Preserve the spring, cascades, and waterfall form a sequence, at Dunning's Spring Park the lookout point and stonework are among the defining features.

A Creek and a Heritage Farm

Pine Spring Creek runs for 2 miles through the Heritage Farm of Seed Savers Exchange. The Seed Savers Heritage Farm in Winneshiek County preserves more than 20,000 plant varieties. Visitors encounter orchards, livestock pastures, and gardens there; trails wind through wooded bluffs. Here, you can discover a specifically named creek and a diverse farm and garden landscape.

Pine Spring Creek also has a picnic area and trails; opportunities for bank fishing are rated good to excellent. These details relate to a specific site. Across Winneshiek County as a whole, visitor activities include hiking, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, and winter sports. This offers a broader range of options, from spending time by the creek to enjoying other outdoor activities. If the picnic area, trails, or bank fishing are important to your plans, check current conditions before your visit.

Frontier-era Traces and Spillville’s Heritage

Fort Atkinson State Preserve in Winneshiek County includes structural remains and buildings from a military post dating to the American frontier era. The Fort Atkinson Rendezvous brings the history of the Iowa frontier in the 1840s to life with reenactors, black-powder shooting, crafts, contests, and demonstrations. It takes place annually on the last full weekend in September. Two different approaches come together here: the structural remains of the military post and a reenactment of frontier-era life. If the Rendezvous is important to your trip, check the specific event date in advance.

In Spillville, Czech Catholic heritage takes center stage at St. Wenceslaus Church. Built in 1860, it is considered the oldest Czech Catholic church in the United States. Its construction date and historical distinction make it a specific point of reference for the town’s history.

Discover more destinations: Decorah, Spillville, Grundy County, Shelby, Lee County, Guthrie, Pocahontas County, Hancock County.

For the broader travel overview: Iowa.