Webster County: Nature, Paddling and Culture

A spring-fed stream forms a twelve-foot waterfall during wet periods and after heavy rainfall: this is one of the distinctive landscape features of Webster County. The natural landscape also includes tallgrass prairie, wooded canyons and river scenery. Two paddling routes offer different distances, while museums focus on art and history.

Prairie, Canyons and River Scenery

Liska-Stanek Prairie State Preserve encompasses 20 acres of tallgrass prairie. The terrain is gently rolling, with several shallow depressions. More than 130 native plant species have been found there, including more than 20 grasses. Those interested in prairie and native plants will find both in a clearly defined landscape: open tallgrass prairie, rolling terrain and the depressions that shape it.

Woodman Hollow State Preserve covers 63.5 acres and includes a deeply cut, wooded canyon. During wet periods and after heavy rainfall, a spring-fed stream there forms a twelve-foot waterfall. The waterfall therefore depends on specific conditions. The preserve was officially designated a state biological, geological and archaeological preserve in 1970.

Brushy Creek State Recreation Area encompasses 6,500 acres of habitats featuring native prairie, grassland, woodland, river and lake. A 260-acre section was designated a state geological, archaeological and biological preserve in 1988. In Brushy Creek State Preserve, a small, deep, wooded canyon provides habitat for the rare woodland vole. Webster County therefore features a variety of natural attractions, including prairie plants, wooded canyons and diverse habitats.

Dolliver Memorial State Park is also defined by its landscape: natural bluffs and geological formations shape its scenery, while the park overlooks the Des Moines River valley. For travelers interested in geology and river landscapes, it offers a different perspective from the open prairie at Liska-Stanek.

Paddling Routes and Outdoor Activities

Lizard Creek Water Trail offers 14 miles of paddling, with rapids and various stretches of fast-moving water. The property boundary is also important for planning: the water is public, but the land below and along the creek is privately owned. Keep this distinction between the water and the banks in mind.

Des Moines River Water Trail offers a 46-mile paddling route through Webster County and Fort Dodge. The route follows the limestone bluffs of the Des Moines River valley. At 14 and 46 miles respectively, the two routes differ considerably in length; this information helps you compare the planned paddling distance, but by itself says nothing about how long the trip will take. Becker Access on Des Moines River Water Trail is well signposted from the road and has ample parking.

There are also various outdoor activities beyond the paddling routes. The lake at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area is suitable for swimming, fishing and boating. A trail open to horseback riding also runs through Brushy Creek State Preserve. These options appeal to different interests: water activities on the lake, horseback riding on the trail or paddling on one of the rivers and creeks.

For motorized excursions, Gypsum City OHV Park offers 60 miles of trails for off-highway vehicles, all-terrain utility vehicles and dirt bikes. The options range from paddling routes and activities on the lake to trails for off-highway vehicles. The specific trail distances and vehicle categories can help you tailor your trip to your planned activity, without treating the different offerings as equivalent.

History and Art in Fort Dodge

Fort Museum & Frontier Village presents the frontier history of the Fort Dodge area in a replica of a 19th-century fort. Blanden Memorial Art Museum focuses on visual art. Its permanent collection includes European and American paintings and sculpture, European and American prints, American photography, contemporary American art and works by Iowa artists. It also includes Japanese folding screens and prints.

The two museums have different focuses: Fort Museum is devoted to regional history, while the collection at Blanden Memorial Art Museum brings together different art forms and origins. Another notable site is Matt Cosgrove River's Edge Discovery Center, located at the confluence of the Des Moines River and Soldier Creek. History, art and the location where two waterways meet can thus be considered as different interests when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Fort Dodge, Emmet County, Des Moines County, Linn, Story, Kossuth County, Clay County, Adair County.

For the broader travel overview: Iowa.