My local state parks may not have the size or plethora of trails like some of the prominent parks, but what they may lack in scope and amenities they make up for ten-fold  with serene views and tranquility.

My recent excursion to Beeds Lake near Hampton, IA was much needed. In addition to some exercise and fresh air, I was in need of autumnal tints. Forget year-round summer--if there is such a place that exists in perpetual autumn, I would move there in a heartbeat.

Beeds Lake is a 99-acre reservoir encircled by a dirt walking trail. If you've got tennis shoes and an hour or so to spare, you've got all you need to make the roughly 2.2 mile hike. The only safety issue for this time of year is walnuts. I mean it. Walnuts. I almost rolled my ankle twice from the walnuts littered on the ground, a falling walnut almost conked me on the egg. Be on the lookout.

There is not much else that I can write about Beeds Lake that can't be better told in a photograph. It is beautiful. During my hike, I was spinning around singing in my head, "The lake is aliiiiiive with the sights of auuutuuuumn!" I didn't actually do this because I was still within hearing distance of the campground at the time, but you best believe that I was giving Julie Andrews a run for her money in my head.

Total miles covered: 2.7
Total time: 40 minutes, 18 seconds of moving time
Temperature: 63 degrees Fahrenheit
Water consumed: 16 oz
Times I almost got brained by a falling walnut: 1
Times I almost rolled my ankle on fallen walnuts: 2

The Iowa DNR calls Stone State Park in Sioux City an "urban wildlife sanctuary."  That is a truthful but also misleading statement. Although it's on the edge of Sioux City, I never felt like I was near Iowa's fourth largest city. There was no traffic noise at all. As for the "wildlife sanctuary" claim? ACCURATE.  Plenty of deer, including a large buck, were visible from the trails. I'm still learning specific bird calls, but there was plenty of avian chatter in the early morning hours.

The combination of the early hour and intermittent rainy skies meant I caught glimpses of daybreak when I came out from under the tree canopies. It made me want to take earlier hikes in the future because I could watch everything around me wake up, unfurl, and begin the day. It was so rejuvenating!

A tiny portion of the Longfoot loop was on a gravel road, but almost 25% of a second loop in the upper part of the park was on paved park roads. That didn't seem safe to me since there are a lot of twisty roads with extremely narrow shoulders. I scrapped the plan for the second loop and instead hiked over a mile of the Dakota Point and Buffalo Run trails. Just look at the picture below--WOWZA! I happily ventured up and down plenty of loose gravel steps for this view.

For a second on the Dakota Point Trail, I forgot I was so close to another state and was actually gazing out on South Dakota fields. The Big Sioux River, which flows into the Missouri River, provides a natural boundary for the park and the state of Iowa. (Amusing but slightly off-topic anecdote: One time I went for a haircut in Sioux City and accidentally ended up in Nebraska. That's how close to the edge of the state it is.)

I had no expectations when I entered Stone State Park. Upon leaving, I now have a new park to recommend to other hikers. Stone State Park has gorgeous views, plenty of trail signage for easy navigation, and a variety of trail types depending on your preference. It even houses the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center; the nature center includes live/interactive plant and animal exhibits, prairie grass trails, and a butterfly garden. This won't be the last time I visit Stone State Park. It's well worth the drive.

Total miles covered: 4.8 (This is the most I've hiked alone so far!)
Total time: 1 hour, 38 minutes of moving time
Temperature: 73 degrees Fahrenheit
Water consumed: 28 oz
Food consumed: I snacked on a little packet of Justin's Honey Almond Butter between trails.

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!

Dolliver Memorial State Park near Lehigh, Iowa checks all of my "day hiking" boxes for beginning hikers. You want a bit of a challenge with elevation? Check out the Indian Trail! You want easy steppin' instead? Meander the Center Trail! You want gorgeous views? Just look at my pictures!

I realize that Iowa doesn't have purple mountain majesties or oceans white with foam. That's okay! Filled with lush green foliage and rust-colored sandstone bluffs, Dolliver doesn't need mountains or oceans to satisfy the senses. Even though it was a beautiful summer day, few people were on the trails. The scenery, coupled with the solitude, totally connected me to the journey of the trails. I was just focused on the present and my senses. For me, this is the best feeling when hiking.

(As a side note to fellow park visitors: stop carving your names into the bluffs! Show some respect. Sheesh!)

After the rockiness of the Boneyard Trail, the Center trail gave me a chance to catch my breath and appreciate the sounds and sights of a woodland walk. There were some steps (stepppps!) on the Copperas Trail, but they were gently sloped for the most part.

I really wanted to see the ceremonial/burial mounds located in the southeast corner of the park. Native Americans created these mounds almost a thousand years ago, and they overlook the Des Moines River from the top of the Indian Trail. However, I made a totally newbie move and saved that trail for last. I was wiped out by the time I got to the Indian Trail, and all those dang steps nearly did me in. I should have gone back the next morning, but I was sore and ready to head home after a sleepless night.

This hike was the longest I had hiked at one time, and I was extremely proud of myself. I would love to go back in the early fall and see the park awash in fiery autumnal colors. For any tenderfoot trekker, Dolliver Memorial State Park is a great place to get excited about hiking.

Final distance: 4 miles
Total time: Maybe 3 hours? I took some breaks and didn't have a watch.
Temperature: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Bug bites/ticks: 0
Book read at night: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint