A park in Linn County will reopen tomorrow for the first time since the derecho last summer.
Palisades-Kepler State Park is set to open its gates after workers spent several months removing damaged trees, downed limbs and other debris caused by the storm last August.
Roads, hiking trails, picnic areas and fishing access points will all be useable once again. Visitors can start making campground reservations through the online reservation site on Friday, the same day the park opens. But the lodge, which sustained extensive roof damage in the storm, will be closed this season.
Palisades is the final state park to open after the derecho.
Maquoketa Caves Set to Fully Reopen April 15th
Iowa DNR announced that the park will be fully reopened tomorrow, April 15th, 2021.
The cave system in Maquoketa is the largest cave system in the state, and the park offers gorgeous scenery and unique geological formations.
Iowa DNR shared some tips for visiting after the reopening, because they re expecting some high traffic in the area:
Parking is limited. With less than 150 parking spots and as many as 1,500 people coming to the park on a summer weekend day, park staff recommend visiting mid-week or avoiding the peak window of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Parking will only be allowed in designated spots for the safety of visitors and to protect natural areas. If parking spots are not available, please come back at a later time.
The Caves at Maquoketa Caves State Park Reopen Thursday 4/15
Combined with bat hibernation and the COVID-19 pandemic, the caves have been closed for over one year.
Maquoketa Caves State Park is located in eastern Iowa’s Jackson County, and features the largest cave system in the entire state. 13 caves can be found in the park. The largest, ‘Dancehall Cave,’ is approximately 800 feet long.
But if you plan on hiking the caves this year, it s best to plan ahead. The Iowa DNR says that because of the park’s popularity and expected high crowds this spring and summer, it could become very congested, so they posted some tips if you plan on visiting:
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