Site Details

Loess Hills SF Preparation Canyon Uni - Monona County

GPS Coordinates: 41.8894651946799, -95.9243774414063

Management: State

Description: 4125 acres of Loess Hills forest. Deciduous trees and also pines and cedar. Some upland grass areas along with several ponds and wetlands. Parking: a number of spots though not well marked. A couple of picnic shelters but no restrooms. Some trails--most not well marked but can be seen if looking for them. Preparation Canyon State Park (RESTROOMS and water are available here) is located in the NE corner of this section of Loess Hills State Forest.

Habitat: Forest, wetlands, ponds, creeks, and upland. Work all the internal roads. Birding can be incredibly good most of the time. Take time to work the forest edges, trails, creeks, and ponds.

Directions: On I-29 take Exit 105 (~ 8 miles south of Onawa) and go EAST on E60 through Blencoe. Follow E60 as is winds east and south and eventually into the Loess Hills State Forest. E60 is the main road through the forest.

Important Bird Area: IBA Entry for Loess Hills SF Preparation Canyon Uni