Happy 4th of July!

It's been a beautiful week in the Driftless, and summer is finally here!  Definitely here. We're under a heat advisory today, so if you're out and about please drink lots of water and find shade when you can!  You can also visit our park store for some cold drinks or ice cream :)

There are plenty of holiday festivities to keep you busy!

July 2-4: Independence Day Celebration, McGregor/Marquette, IA.  Parade, fireworks on Saturday night, live music and kids games, flea market under the bridge all weekend.

July 3: Zeb Pike & the War of 1812 Mississippi River Cruise, Explore the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers as a local historian tells the story of Explorer Zebulon Pike and the War of 1812. This two-hour cruise is a must for river and history buffs, departs at 2 p.m., Mississippi Explorer Cruises, St. Feriole Island river front, Prairie du Chien, 1-877-647-7397. Ticket booth at Blackhawk & Main.

July 4: Fourth of July Celebration, Eastman, WI. Parade, games, music, fireworks at dusk, 608-874-4361.

As for us here at Pikes Peak, we'll have the normal lineup of programs:

Friday, July 1st 7:00-8:30pm: Guided hike up to Hickory Ridge with park interpreter, Emily.  The hike will last about 1.5 hrs and will begin at the main overlook.

Saturday, July 2nd 8:00am: Bird Walk on the Boardwalk!  Even though the migrants are long gone, there are still some colorful and noisy feathered residents at Pikes Peak!  You never know when a Pileated woodpecker might make an appearance...

Saturday, July 2nd 10:00am: Pikes Peak Scavenger Hunt!  Whether this is your first time at the park or your twentieth visit, there's always something new to discover!  We'll meet at the hummingbird feeders and the Hunt will take place in the main overlook area.

Have a happy weekend!

Summer officially arrived this week, but you wouldn't know it by the weather we're having!  It's been cold and rainy the past week, but we might be catching a break tomorrow and part of Saturday before more clouds and rain move in.  If we finally get some sunshine, do us proud and go play outside!!

This weekend here at Pikes Peak:
Friday, June 24th at 7:00pm: Hickory Ridge Hike! We'll meet at the main overlook and the hike will last about 1.5 hours.  See previous post for description.

Saturday, June25th at 8:00am: Bird Walk on the Boardwalk! Once again we'll meet at the main overlook, and bird walks usually last less than an hour.

Saturday, June 25th at 10:00am: Make Your Own Hummingbird Feeder! Love our hummingbirds that buzz around the feeders? Let's see if you can get a few hummingbirds to come to YOUR home!  This is a kids' activity (though all are welcome!) that will teach kids some cool facts about our hummingbirds and then we'll make our own feeders to take home!  There will be a picnic table set up by the hummingbird feeders next to the park store where we'll meet.

It hasn't rained all day! Get off the computer and go outside! (But bundle up, it's a little brisk out there!)

Need some ideas of things to do this weekend?

June 25: Bits & Pieces, History and music blend to reflect the rich history of Prairie du Chien. Join the fun with Delores Heyer as she portrays a schoolteacher who teaches history though the medium of music. Fort Crawford Museum, 717 S Beaumont Rd, Prairie du Chien, 608-326-6960.

June 25: Hole in the Sock Gang 1880 Street Theatre, The Old West comes alive in downtown McGregor, IA, with a reenactment of action-packed bank robberies, cowboy shootouts and saloon girls, free show, 800-896-0910.

June 25:  Annual Lazy River Beer & Wine Festival, A premier wine & beer tasting event featuring handcrafted wine from Iowa wineries and handcrafted beer from Iowa breweries, food vendors, live bands throughout the day. Marquette Riverfront, 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Must be 21 to attend. For information or to purchase call 800-896-0910.

Programs starting this week at Pikes Peak!

This week will be a busy one up here in the Driftless!

Here at Pikes Peak we have the following programs this weekend:

*Programs are led by our AmeriCorps natural resources interpreter, Emily, who can be identified by her height and her bright red AmeriCorps shirt!

Friday, June 17th at 7:00pm: Hickory Ridge Hike!  Guided hike will begin at the main overlook at Pikes Peak and will go up to Hickory Ridge and then follow the trail back to the park store (see map below).  Hike will last approximately 1 ½ hrs depending on how much Emily talks about the Native American mounds, the history of the park, and the plants and animals that call Pikes Peak home!  There will be stairs involved as well as some time spent on a dirt path, so please wear appropriate shoes!

Saturday, June 18^th at 8:00am: Beginner’s Bird Walk! Come join us on a short walk through the woods to see what birds are awake and singing along the boardwalk! Now is a great time to listen for Cerulean warblers!  We’ll meet at the main overlook and go over a few of the common species found in our park and some of the basics of birdwatching before heading out!

Saturday, June 18^th at 10:00am: Animal Tracks Kids’ Program! This program will last for about an hour and kids will learn how to identify some common (and not so common!) animal tracks.  Then we’ll go out and see if we can identify some tracks in the park.  Kids can also make plaster molds of the tracks we find to take home with them!  We'll meet by the hummingbird feeders next to the park store.

Some upcoming events in the area include:

This Thursday, June 16th, marks the beginning of the annual Prairie Villa Rendezvous on St. Feriole Island in Prairie du Chien, WI.  The four day event recreates life during the 1840s when the area was a major center for fur trapping and trading.  Free admission!

Summer Concert in the Park on Thursday, June 16th at Lawler Park's South Gazebo in Prairie du Chien from 6:30-8pm. For more info call PdC Parks and Rec at 608-326-7207. Free admission!

Crawford County Dairy Days, June 17th-19th in Soldiers Grove, WI.

Annual New Wine Release Weekend, June 18th-19th: Be the first to sample new wines, food & music, Eagles Landing Winery, Marquette, IA, 563-873-2509

Take a hike with a ranger and “Explore, Learn, Protect” at Effigy Mounds National Monument. On Saturday, June 18 at 1:00 p.m. at Effigy Mounds visitor center, kids are invited to take a hike, explore the monument and learn to “Protect and Detect” in nature.

Music on the River Cruise on Saturday June 18th.  Two hour cruise departs at 6:30pm from St. Feriole Island river front, Prairie du Chien.  Ticket booth is located at Blackhawk & Main in Prairie du Chien, WI.

Have a great week and we'll see you outside!

Welcome to Pikes Peak!

Welcome back to another summer season at Pikes Peak State Park!  We here at the park are hoping for a summer full of great camping and fun programs for all ages! 

Located in northeastern Iowa, Pikes Peak State Park offers visitors a wide array of outdoor recreation including camping, hiking, biking, bird-watching, and picnicking as well as famous panoramic views of the confluence of the upper Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. As part of the "Driftless Area" missed by the glaciers that carved most of Iowa, the region boasts high bluffs, wooded hills, valleys, and spring-fed streams situated next to the mighty Mississippi River.

Pikes Peak was first staked out as a potential site for a military fort in 1805 by Lt. Zebulon Pike before he and his men went further west to find the "other" Pike's Peak. Today, the park has 77 campsites and 11.5 miles of hiking trails that highlight the natural beauty of the Driftless.

Throughout the summer months, we will post up weekly events and programs at Pikes Peak and the surrounding area as well as keep you updated on which birds are migrating through, which flowers are blooming, and what wildlife has been spotted in the park!  We’ll also be developing an ongoing Photo of the Week contest, so be sure to check back once we have the details posted.

Programs and park events are FREE to anyone who wants to join and will include:
Through the Veil guided hikes every Friday night:  Join our park interpreter on a walk back through time as she takes visitors on a hike up to Hickory Ridge.  Hikes are approximately one hour and will involve climbing stairs (so please wear comfy shoes!).

Guided Bird Walks: For birders of all ages and experience levels!  Hikes will begin with a brief overview of common birds found in the park and how to identify them.

Kids’ Programs: Usually held on Saturday mornings or Sunday afternoons, this year’s kids’ programs will include learning about animal tracks, making hummingbird feeders, identifying birds, and other cool outdoors-y stuff like that!

Days and times for all programs and events will be announced every week, so stay tuned!