Are you looking for a restful prairie haven? This park lies adjacent to some of the most pristine prairie parcels in Northwest Iowa. Within the 110-acre park, there are hills to hike on and a man-made lake from which to fish.

Prairie History

Ada Hayden, the first woman to receive a doctorate from Iowa State University (Iowa State College) in 1918, has been called by many as the “matriarch of the Iowa Preserve System. Throughout her life, Hayden’s crusade was to preserve Iowa’s prairies. She spent much of her time in the 1930’s & 40’s in this area of Northwest Iowa recording plant species and conducting surveys. She recognized many of the prairies here as locations which needed to be preserved.

In a paper authored by Ada Hayden, she describes prairies as preserves to illustrate Iowa’s historic pre-settlement flora and fauna and as a field laboratories of plants and soils. Dean Roosa, state ecologist in 1987, stated that Iowa’s larger prairie preserves exist today mostly because of Hayden’s work.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy, the Natural Heritage Foundation, the Conservation Boards and other conservation agencies have been working together to rescue and restore some of the prairie plots located nearby. Dog Creek Park is an excellent starting location from which to explore some of these prairie areas.

Location Description and Other Information

Dog Creek Park provides spectacular views of the sun setting against the rolling hills. The steep slopes provide an abundance of prairie forbes including Pasque flowers, Blazing star, Blue-eyed grass and more.

Prairie skinks and Redbelly snakes are two of the reptiles that can be found on the dry, rocky slopes.

A visit in the winter will treat you with the flash of red as Cardinals find shelter in the pine plantings on the south side of the park.

Bring along your fishing pole for a little lakeside relaxation after your prairie hike, The lake in the park is stocked with bass, bluegill and crappie and is a popular location from which to fish.

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