New to Birding?
Check out this great brochure on getting started in this fun activity.
Buchanan Co. Conservation Birding Hikes
Buchanan County Conservation Office, located at Fontana Park Interpretive Nature Center, is sponsoring birding opportunities around the county this fall. A naturalist will go over birding basics and describe the birds being seen.
All birding hikes start at 8:30 a.m. Loaner binoculars and field guides will be provided if needed. The locations are as follows:
Fri, November 13th- Three Elms County Park, Independence, Iowa. Meet at main parking lot. GPS Point
Tue, December 1st - Fontana County Park, Hazelton, Iowa. Meet at Nature Center Classroom. GPS Point
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| Source: Michael Mass, Buchanan County Conservation Board |
National Bison Day Celebration!
Fontana Nature Center
1883 125 th St., Hazleton, IA
Saturday, November 7 from 9 am – 12 pm
November 7 is National Bison Day!
Come to Fontana Park for a fun, hands-on day celebrating America’s national mammal. Learn about bison, discover how their parts were historically used, and even have an opportunity to feed the bison with assistance from staff or volunteers. Test your throwing skills in our First Annual Bison Chip Throwing Contest! Prizes will be awarded to the top throwers in each category: Boys & Girls (12 and under) and Men & Women (13 and over). Each chip to throw will be $1 per chip with a limit of two chips. Special programs about the historical uses of bison parts will be offered at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Visitors can also stop by the Nature Center to complete a fun bison craft! This is a come-and-go event, so stop by for a few minutes or stay and enjoy the activities! If you can register at www.mycountyparks.com and click on Buchanan County that is great otherwise if not you can just show up!
PRAS Field Trip Locations
If we don't have a specific field trip scheduled, feel free to go and explore on your own at these locations that we typically visit during our group field trips. If you want to lead a field trip, email Craig and Kris Rash and we will help get the word out. We are always looking for people to share their favorite spots.
*Indicates restroom facilities are available.
Beaver Valley Wetlands Refuge. West of Cedar Falls. Meet in parking lot off N. Union Road and Beaver Valley Road. No restroom facilities.
GPS point
Big Woods Lake. Cedar Falls. Meet in the parking lot at the Big Woods Lake South Entrance. Pit toilets available. GPS point
Cedar Hills Sand Prairie. West of Cedar Falls. No restroom facilities. GPS point
Cedar Valley Nature Trail. Gilbertville. Meet at the depot west of Gilbertville off Washburn Road. Paved trails; restroom facilities at Gilbertville Depot, LaPorte City baseball park, & McFarlane Park. GPS point
George Wyth State Park. Waterloo. Meet at the kiosk right inside the park entrance. Restroom facilities located within the park. GPS point
Greenbelt Lake (aka Martin Lake). Waterloo. Meet in the parking lot off Martin Rd, which is off Highway 63. Some paved trails. No restroom facilities. GPS point
Guy Grover Timber and Tree Plantings*. Buchanan County. 2720 Nolen Ave, Rowley. Led by Dan Cohen, former conservation director in Buchanan County. GPS point
Ham Marsh Wildlife Area. Buchanan County. Meet at main parking lot. GPS Point
Hartman Reserve Lower Level. Cedar Falls. Drive to Lookout Park and access Park Drive. Continue to the lower level parking area. No restroom facilities at this location; go to Hartman's Nature Center. Here is the GPS point for the parking area.
Hickory Hills. South of Waterloo on County Rd. V37 aka Dysart Road. Meet at the archery parking lot on the west side of Hickory Hills. Pit toilets by archery shelter. GPS point
Irvine Prairie. 1174 55th St. Dysart. Seasonal pit toilet available in summer.
GPS point
Mayor's Park* Elk Run Heights. 141-636 McCoy Rd. GPS point
McFarlane Park. East of LaPorte City. Park near the picnic shelter. Pit toilets by shelter; modern facilities at campground. GPS point
Prairie Lakes-Cedar Falls Visitors Center. Cedar Falls. Meet at parking lot off Hudson Road. Paved trails; restrooms in visitor center; pit toilets also available.
GPS point
Paul Huting Recreation Area (aka Harold Getty Lake). Waterloo. At the stoplight follow Mitchell Street about 0.25 miles east of Highway 218 to the parking lot. Some paved trails. GPS point
Robertson Bird Sanctuary. Waterloo. Pull into the parking lot on the left, it is located on south side of the road. No restroom facilities. GPS point
Sweet Marsh. Bremer County. No restroom facilities. GPS point for Sweet Marsh South Entrance parking lot. Directions: From Tripoli, IA go east for 2.1 miles on 7th Ave SE (Co Rd 93) which will turn into 165th St. Turn north onto the gravel Sweet Marsh access road that is immediately after the road for the trailhead for the Sweetwater Creek bike trail.
Sweetwater Creek Trail* Tripoli. 1st Ave SW & 2nd St. SW GPS point or if you are to meet at the trailhead at 2651 170th St, Tripoli here is the Trailhead GPS Point
Washington Union Access. North of Cedar Falls at Cedar-Wapsi Road (C-57). Parking lot is located on the south side of the road just before crossing the Cedar River Bridge. No restroom facilities. GPS point
