Maquoketa Caves State Park

The park has more caves than any other state park in Iowa, in limestone bluffs above a creek, and the arrangement is unusual for the United States: rather than guided tours on paved walkways, most of these are open for visitors to enter freely, and several require crawling on hands and knees or squeezing through gaps. Dancehall Cave is the largest and has a lit boardwalk through it; the rest are unlit and a torch is required. A natural bridge spans the creek, and a dance floor was built just north of it in 1868. The caves were closed to people from 2010 to April 2012 to protect the resident bats from white-nose syndrome.

The landscape

• More caves than any Iowa park - most open to enter without a guide.
• Dancehall Cave - the largest, with a lit boardwalk.
• Crawling and squeezing passages - in the smaller caves.
• A natural bridge and balanced rock - above the creek.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Good to know

Most caves are unlit - bring a torch, and expect to get muddy. Caves have been closed for bat disease and gear decontamination is required. Passages are tight and not for the claustrophobic. Summer weekends fill the lot.

Nearby

Maquoketa is south-east; the Mississippi is east.

Key facts