Site Details

Grovers Lake (Iowa) - Dickinson County

GPS Coordinates: 43.4971, -95.1654

Management: State

Description: A large (300-acre) marsh located on the Iowa-Minnesota state line. All land and water south of the state line (which runs E-W across the northern 1/4 of the lake-marsh)is part of the larger Kettleson Hogsback Wildlife Management Complex, making Grover's lake part of perhaps the greatest birding area in NW Iowa

Habitat: Shallow lake-marsh with frequently dense emergent vegetation & lightly wooded south shoreline. Uplands south of lake contains a diverse mix of small restored wetlands, native prairie, restored prairie, and small strip-crop fields. On the very NE edge of the property, just south of the lakeshore, is a glacial esker, perhaps the best example of this once under-glacier river or sand and stone anywhere in Iowa. Dry, mixed-grass prairie dominates the esker. Birdlife includes nesting a huge diversity of grassland and wetland species, plus some woodland birds. Grover's lake has hosted nesting Canvasbacks, Red-necked Grebes, Black-crowned Night Herons and other rare Iowa nesters, plus almost every kind of migrating waterfowl.

Directions: At the Minnesota border in northern Dickinson Co. Near the north end of West Okoboji Lake, take Hwy. 86 north from Hwy. 9 five miles to 100th St., at the Minnesota border. Turn right (east) on 100th and follow this as it soon curves south and becomes 215th Ave. The boat ramp and parking area for the lake are about half a mile south on the east side. Also, continue following gravel road south and east until reaching another parking lot, for walk-in access to the enire area.

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