Hungry for Adventurez

 I recently visited Yellow River State Forest and stayed at Little Paint Campground. This park is expansive, more so than any Iowa State Park or forest I have visited so far. Let's talk about what activities are available here, and who should pay Yellow River State Forest a visit.  The view from the lookout point near the fire tower The Layout of Yellow River State Forest By Iowa standards, Yellow River State Forest is a massive park. It is north of Marquette and south of Harper’s Ferry. Combined with neighboring Effigy Mounds National Monument, Pikes Peak State Park, and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, the area is an unofficial national park (in my opinion).  Yellow River State Forest is not one contiguous park. It is made of several smaller units. The largest one is called the Paint Creek Unit, which has multiple campgrounds.  The main road of Paint Creek is State Forest Road. It offers some fantastic views as you drive through the park....

  A few weeks ago I went campaigning at Elk Rock State Park in central Iowa. This beautiful park is located on Red Rock Lake near Pella and Knoxville, Iowa. Let's break down what camping here is like, and who would have the most fun camping here.  What are the campsites like at Elk Rock State Park? How do I get a campsite?  These campsites are very different depending on what loop you pick! All campsites have a firepit and picnic table. There are electric and non-electric sites. If your site does not come with water, each loop also has a drinking water pump. We took a spot in the furthest loop into the campground (non-electric), which happened to have a lake view, but was further away from the bathrooms. There is also an equestrian section, where riders can camp with their horses. Our camping area didn't have a lot of tree cover, so I could see it getting quite hot during late summer. We found the campground to be very peaceful and quiet. That being said, our loop w...

  A few weeks ago I finished a short camping trip in Ledges State Park, in Boone Iowa. We had a great time, and I wanted to pass on what we learned about this gem of a park.  Basic information about Ledges State Park Campground What are the campsites like at Ledges State Park? There are several types of campsites, some with water and electricity, and some without. There are also a few hike-in campsites. We chose a basic site without any utilities, and camped in our RAV 4. Our site had woods on two sides, making it very nice and somewhat private. Our site had a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill. The driveway was gravel. It stayed pleasantly quiet all night, and the campsite was clean and free of any garbage.  What about the bathrooms? Are there showers at Ledges State Park Campground? The bathrooms are pretty average for an Iowa state park- nothing fancy, just modern toilet stalls and concrete. There are showers here! (my partner only camps at venues with showers.)...