Lake MacBride, Palisades Kepler State pa rks

“Well filtergyrl and I took our first camping trip as a married couple now and had a fun time getting back to the outdoors. Here's a link to the pictures with a report to follow up here later on.


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“Trip report Lake Macbride

Saturday:
After spending Saturday gathering our gear and getting things packed filtergyrl and I loaded up Dora (our Ford Explorer) and headed for Lake Macbride recreation area. The Recreation area is adjacent to Lake Macbride State park and Coralville Lake near Iowa City Iowa. The area is funded and taken care of by the University of Iowa. So after a 50 min drive are arrived at the trail head. We new little about the area so we became surprised to find the campsite was 1/4 mile off the trail head. So we took our gear and setup camp. After gathering wood and getting things set we took off for some dayhiking.

I had read something about a raptor center on the web located at the recreation area so we set off on foot to find it. After viewing some deer along the trail we came to the Raptor center which was program set up by the U of I and a community college for the rehabilitation of disabled birds of pray. Each year they take in some 200 birds with about 50% returning to the wild. The rest are cared for and sent out to other zoos or wild life exhibits for display to the public. On display at this center was several owls, hawks, falcons, a turkey vulture, and a Golden and Bald eagle. All have suffered major injuries making it impossible to live in the wild. Many having lost wings or eyes. The exhibit was pretty cool / saddening to see these mighty birds reduced to nothing most by the hands of human interaction.

After the raptor center we continued to hike along the lake side before returning back to camp getting our fire started and cooking dinner. The night was rather uneventful with the exception of 4 college kids at the next campsite getting rather drunk and loud. It was rather funny as around 10:00 they must had drunk themselves dry as one of them came down to our campsite asking for any form of alcohol. We had followed the rules of no alcohol at the campsites and didn't have a drop on us. So the kid turned tail and head back to camp. Shortly there after things got quite and we headed off to sleep.

Sunday:
We awoke the next day and had some dried fruit for breakfast (thanks to whoever bought us the food dehydrator for our wedding) We packed up our gear and headed to another State Park. This time we went to Palisades Kepler State Park just north of Macbride. The park is located along the Cedar River with several high bluffs creating very pretty scenery. We started by hiking around what appears to be a busted up man made dam where there was a lot of fisherman. We hiked along the Cedar Rim trail for about 2.5 miles before turning around and heading on back (the park had become a lot more popular since I was last there) We did note that they park had cabins for rent and thought that it might make for a nice alternative getaway some other weekend.

All in all our re-introduction to the wild (since engaged wedding plans had consumed us so much we only camped once over the summer) was a great one. We were happy and excited to be outdoors again and can't wait to make at leas a couple more trips before the weather turns cold out.”

“Gotta love anything to do with the U of I. :-)

I've been to the Lake MacBride area and to the raptor center. There's one place down there you can hike to what must be kind of a causeway.

Shoot, I shoulda thought to send you to the Sugar Bottom area of the Coralville Reservoir, which is between MacBride and North Liberty. There are mt. biking trails there you also could hike, I assume.

And you're right, Palisades Kepler is very pretty.

Glad you guys got out. Now we'll be looking to see you backpacking! ;-P

I have to look at the photos yet.”

“Lizs I've mountian biked the sugar bottom area some pretty cool trails.”