I have been quite remiss in staying updated with tales of my hiking excursions. Once school starts, it seems like everything else falls to the wayside. However, I'm trying to do a better job of creating quality time for myself ... and it was with that idea in mind that I traversed up to Decorah recently for some hiking and tent camping. Yes, I have bought a tent!

I had joined a Facebook group dedicated to central Iowa "adventure" women, and a camping trip to the Iowan hinterlands was on the docket for September. This was a chance to gain camping experience in a safe group setting. I took it!

Until I started researching the outdoor opportunities, I had no clue the city of Decorah itself was so chock full with hiking/biking trails, kayaking routes, and an 11-mile paved trail around city and nearby countryside (Trout Run Trail). All of my previous knowledge of Decorah could be summed up with "Mabe's Pizza," "Vesterheim Museum," and "Luther sucks!" You see, I am a proud Wartburg Knight (U RAH RAH RAH), so it pains me to the core of my little orange-and-black heart to say this, but  ... Decorah is freaking amazing.

(Now I must pray to the dancin' Saint Francis statue for forgiveness).

Our group stayed at the Pulpit Rock Campground on the western edge of Decorah. We had a scenic view of the Upper Iowa River mere feet from our tents, and the allotted spaces felt spacious for all of our gear. Since I couldn't get to Decorah until early afternoon, I embarked on a solo hike since the rest of the ladies were already kayaking. It took maybe 7 minutes to set up my tent under a tree for extra protection, and then I was on my way.

I began my route just outside of the campground, following the Trout Run Trail for just under a mile. This portion of the trail hugs the Upper Iowa River and makes for peaceful surroundings. Even though there were plenty of bikers, they were courteous and always alerted me of their whereabouts. At the College Drive intersection, I left Trout Run Trail and made my way to Ice Cave Road. The beginning portion of the road has a dedicated bike lane for hikers, and just past Dunning's Spring Park the road is closed off completely to cars. Dunning's Spring is serenity personified--the dense foliage and rushing water cooled the surrounding area and provided a refreshing respite from my sweaty hike.

From Dunning's Spring I got back on Ice Cave Road and contemplated doing Huldra's Trail, which is a 1.2 mile loop along the river. However, I really wanted to see the Ice Cave and hike in Van Peenen Park; I kept trudging.

Continuing to walk along Ice Cave Road, I came across a trail sign that led up into the hills. I thought that maybe I could get some good aeriel views of Decorah, so I paid no heed to the name of the trail and scampered up.

The name of the trail? Stairway to Heaven.

Maybe I should have rethought that trail. Although I didn't use any actual stairs, there was a lot of climbing involved. I leaned a lot on little trees, use roots to gain footholds, and cursed my crappy knee joints. These trails--Stairway to Heaven and the nearby Upper/Lower Mother's Day--aren't marked nearly as well as the previous trails. I didn't have any maps for these trails and had to rely solely on my keen sense of direction to navigate. Heck, even my AllTrails app was confused.

The trail views were enjoyable, but I wasn't getting a good view of the town and I didn't want to injure my good ankle. I had left my walking stick (that I think I'm going to name Stick Stickly) in the car. That meant I needed to tread carefully to wend my way back down to the main Ice Cave Road.

Looking at the map, I realized I was incredibly close Ice Cave Park. However, my legs were starting to feel a bit like jelly, and I still had to get back to camp. With a bit of regret, I decided to save my Ice Cave and Van Peenen trail plans for another trip. It was time to hotfoot it back. I had a cold pop waiting for me in the cooler, and I was pretty stinky and needed a shower.

After my shower and meeting the rest of the group, we had an enjoyable time putting together foil packets for supper. It took quite awhile to cook them in the coals of the fire pit and was dark by the time I finally ate supper. It was worth the wait though. I threw a bunch of fresh veggies and some ham/pineapple patties together, and it was all delicious. By 9:30, most of us were ready to fall alseep. I zipped myself into my tent and prayed that the forecasted rain would amount to nothing.

One of the main reasons I was concerned was that I saw everybody else put a tarp underneath their tent. For some reason, I thought a shower curtain would be okay, so that's what I brought. Would it hold? Or would I wake up in a wet, muddy mess? It worried me a bit, but I was honestly too tired to give it much more thought as I nodded off to sleep. At least all of my stuff was in plastic bags or trash bags for water protection.

I slept well throughout the night, waking only a few times to check the inside of my tent. It stayed dry the entire night! It rained pretty consistently, but my tent was up to the challenge. That'll do, tent. That'll do.

I didn't get any pictures, but our group had two two-burner  Coleman camping stoves we put to use. Everyone brought ingredients for egg burritos--my contributions were black beans and gluten-free wraps. It made for tight quarters under the kitchen tent while we tried to stay out of the rain and prepare a breakfast for eight people. The burritos were delicious!

Since our Saturday outdoor plans were a bust, we decided to head into town. Hot coffee awaited us at Magpie Cafe and Coffee House, I tried to spend my life's savings at Dragonfly Books, and I got to experience a cider house  for the first time at Convergence on Washington Street. A four-pack of the Wandering Harvest brew definitely made the trip back to Iowa Falls.

Even though I ended up not staying Saturday night (dang rain!) I really enjoyed my trip to Decorah. I would love to come back to explore the ice cave and many more of the paved and dirt trails.

Total miles covered: 6.8 miles (My new record!)
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes of moving time
Temperature: 79 degrees Fahrenheit
Water consumed: 32 oz (This was my entire Nalgene bottle. I should have filled up the other bottle that was in my bag as well.)
Food consumed: I snacked on a little packet of almonds while hiking, then I scarfed down some jerky as soon as I got back to the campground.

ALSO: Why would I name my stick Stick Stickly? I still have memories of watching Nickelodeon in the mid-90s with the Popsicle stick host of the same name. I still remember the jingle, too!
"Write to me, Stick Stickly
P.O. box 963
New York City, New York state,
10108!"

I've always had a soft spot for Backbone State Park. Like many northeast Iowa kids, I spent birthdays swimming in Backbone's lake, lazy summer days wading through the streams in search of minnows and unique rocks, and high school afternoons paddling and grilling out with friends near the beach. But would Backbone still be as glorious as the last time I tromped along its creeks and trails? Would it still live up to my childhood memories?

I had hiked at Backbone many times before I got up off the couch in 2020, but (and I'm not ashamed to admit this) it had been a few decades. My childhood friend Ashley accompanied me on this hike; it was invigorating to not only hike our (literal) old stomping grounds, but it was wonderful to catch up with Ashley!

The East Lake Trail was a great place to start. We started our trek near the beach parking lot (circled in red on the map) and found the East Lake Trail sign near the lake's edge. As we talked and traversed, we spotted reminders of our younger days at Backbone, like the paddling boats lined up near the iconic stone tower and a lookout deck above the trail that seemed to show us the entire world when we were small. The nostalgia factor of this hike was definitely a 10/10.

The trail was relatively easy to handle with just a bit of elevation and some downed trees/branches to navigate around. However, there was one major obstacle Ashley and I could not avoid: cankerworms. So. Many. Cankerworms. (At least, I think they were cankerworms. I have verified them to the best of my Googling abilities.) These little brown worms hung from trees on silk threads and provided us with plenty of creepy-crawly sensations as we continually brushed them off our shirts, hats, and legs.

The cankerworms could not stop us! We kept trekking! Ashley and I exited the East Lake Trail an hour later and crossed the road to reach the Backbone trailhead. Early settlers named this spot after the narrow limestone/dolomite ridges and rocks that resemble "the Devil's Backbone." The craggy terrain definitely looks otherworldly in northeast Iowa, but the landforms are just the remains of lime deposits created over 400 million years ago when Iowa was covered by a shallow tropical sea. And we get to tread all over them!

This was the wrong day to forget my trusty hiking stick (sorry, Dad). However, Ashley and I made a great team as we helped each other step up, hop down, and find our footing amongst the rocks. I may have shouted, "I'm king of the world!" as we reached the tallest section of the trail (about 200 feet above the water). Take your time on the rocks--it may take a few more seconds to climb down rather than just jump, but sometimes a shortcut is not a shortcut. (And that's how I broke my ankle in 2008, kids! But that is a story for another day.)

Once you've crossed the initial rockiness of the Backbone, the trail will open up to eastern red cedar trees and other vegetation. Watch out for the exposed roots! There are multiple lookout spots along the loop of the trail for a glimpse of the mighty Maquoketa River and the scenery below. A prime viewing time would be autumn when all of the park is lit up in golds, oranges, and reds.

Ashley and I debated trekking the West Lake Trail to create a full loop, but her hip and my ankle said that trail should probably be saved for another day. Instead, we got back on the East Lake Trail since it was a bit shorter. We were both sweaty, tired, and happy at the end of the hike and promised each other to hike together more often.

Many experiences of our younger days seem diminished when we revisit them as adults--our elementary school is so much smaller than we remembered or our early favorite movie is no longer funny. However, Backbone isn't smaller or any less impressive than it was when I was younger. There is still so much to explore and enjoy. I can't wait to revisit the park in a new season and create even more memories.

Final distance: 6.1 miles!
Total time: 2.5 hours of moving time
Temperature: 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Bug bites/ticks: 1 mosquito bite
Water consumed: 20 oz (should have used a bigger bottle)
Food consumed: none during hiking, but I snacked on a little packet of Justin's Maple Almond Butter afterward. It hit the spot!