Site Details

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Dugout Creek Wildlife Area - Dickinson County

GPS Coordinates: 43.408535, -95.304399

Management: Multiple

Description: Restored 95-acre prairie pothole marsh, with Dugout Creek flowing through it,surrounded by glacial moraine hills, plus vast area of surround tame and restored grassland. Dugout Creek is Wildlife Area is actually a large complex of state and federal lands approaching some 1,200 acres in size, when a nearby sub-portion (Yager Slough--see description elsewhere on website) is included. This all is part of DNR's much larger Cayler Prairie-Dugout Creek Bird Conservation Area and Audubon Important Bird Area.

Habitat: Restored large, shallow, prairie pothole marsh surrounded by remnant and restored native prairie on steep glacial hills. Along Dugout Creek west of the marsh and road is the largest complex of glacial fen wetlands remaining in the state of Iowa. Outstanding habitat for nesting and migrating waterfowl, rails, and grassland birds. Yellow Rails are periodically found here in migration. BCA printed guide with checklist is available from Iowa DNR.

Directions: Just south of Lake Park (city) in northwest Dickinson Co., immediately south of Hwy. 9 along M-27, on the east side. for best site access and viewing, take 140th Ave. south from IA Hwy 9, 1 mile east of Lake Park turnoff on M27. Travel 1 mile south on gravel to see marsh in Dugout Creek valley, then continue 1/2 mile to parking area along road which bisects the wetland.

Public Hunting Area Search for area boundary information on the DNR interactive atlas

Important Bird Area: IBA Entry for Dugout Creek Wildlife Area