Howard County is fortunate to be blessed with an abundance of wildlife and is rich in natural resources. Three major rivers, the Wapsipinicon, Turkey and Upper Iowa, along with Crane Creek, many tributary streams and ponds intermingling through a diversity of woodland, native prairie, and wetlands, all contribute to the creation of the landscape in Howard County.
The Howard County Conservation Board provides the public with almost 2,000 acres of county conservation managed areas, helping to conserve our natural resources and preserve scenic sites so that present and future generations may enjoy them forever. (Click on Iowa map to enlarge.)
Howard County Recreation Map
or (PDF-Adobe Acrobat version)
Howard County Watershed Map & Info Sheet
or (PDF-Adobe Acrobat version)
Howard County Watershed Population Density Map & Info Sheet
Howard County Creeks & Watersheds Map
Howard County Township/Section Map
The table below lists the amenities, facilities and activities offered at each of our wildlife areas. The legend can be found below the table. For detailed information on each location click here.
2004 Aerial Photos Available! Click on each "Name of Area" in the table below to see a close up view.
**Please note: the boundarys in red on these aerial photos are only to be used as guides and are not legally binding. Please use signs at the areas to mark actual boundaries.
| COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION AREAS and WILDLIFE AREAS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name of Area | Location | Acreage | Campsites | Water | Cabin Rental | Shelter | Picnicking | Trails | Swimming | Fishing | Boating | Activities | Features | Hunting |
| 1 | Bigalk Trout Stream Wildlife Area | 7 mi. NE of Cresco | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | Bonair Shooting Range | 4 mi. W, 1.5 mi. N of Cresco | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | U |
| 3 | Cleghorn Wildlife Area | 4 mi. SE of Cresco | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F |
| 4 | Crane Creek Wildlife Area | 6 mi. W of Elma, 1 mi. S on St. HWY 63 | 281 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F,U,W |
| 5 | Dieken Wildlife Area | 3.5 mi. S of Chester | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F |
| 6 | Evans-Hughes Forest | 4 mi. E, 2 mi. N of Lime Springs | 36 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F |
| 7 | Florenceville Park | 9 mi. N of Cresco | 3 | - | P | - | O,F | Yes | - | - | - | - | B,P | - | - |
| 8 | Hart Pond Wildlife Area | 0.75 mi. W of Elma | 249 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | L(8) | - | - | - | W,U |
| 9 | Joachim Woods Wildlife Area | 1 mi. S of Elma | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F |
| 10 | Kleckner Wildlife Area | 9 mi. SW of Chester | 53 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | U |
| 11 | Lake Hendricks | 1 mi. NE of Riceville | 234 | E80,N80 | DS,F | - | O,F | Yes | BL,H,XS | Yes | L(54),P | C,E,R | A,B,P,W | P,W | - |
| 12 | Lidtke Park | 1 mi. N of Lime Springs | 10 | E30,N30 | DS,F | - | O,F | Yes | - | - | S | C,M,R | P | H | - |
| 13 | Lubbert Park | Saratoga | 3 | - | P | - | O,F | Yes | - | - | S | - | - | - | - |
| 14 | Lylah's Marsh | 3.5 mi. NW of Elma | 155 | - | P | - | O,F | Yes | BL,S | - | M(60) | C,M,R | P | - | U,W |
| 15 | Martinek Wildlife Area | 3.5 mi. SE of Cresco | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F |
| 16 | Meiricks Pond Access | 2.5 mi. W, 5 mi. N of Elma | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | L(3) | - | - | - | U,W |
| 17 | Mullen Wildlife Area | 4 mi. W of Cresco | 141 | - | - | - | - | - | H | - | S | - | - | - | U,W |
| 18 | Reis Wildlife Area | 15 mi. W of Cresco | 120 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F,U,W |
| 19 | Souhrada Forest | 4 mi. NE of Lime Springs | 117 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F,U |
| 20 | Souhrada Wildlife Area | 9 mi. W, 1 mi. N of Cresco | 155 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F,U,W |
| 21 | Taylor's Pond Park | 3 mi. NW of Protivin | 7 | - | P | - | O,F | Yes | - | - | L(6) | - | - | - | - |
| 22 | Thomson Marsh | 4 mi. SW of Cresco | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F,W |
| 23 | Turkey Bend Wildlife Area | 2 mi. SW of Cresco | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | H,XS | - | S | - | - | - | F |
| 24 | Upper Iowa River Access | 1 mi. N of Lime Springs | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | C | - | - | F |
| 25 | Vernon Springs Park/Turkey River Campground | 2.5 mi. SW of Cresco on Vernon Rd. | 114 | E46 | D,S,F | - | O,F | Yes | BH,H,S,XS | - | L(17),S | C,M | P,V,W | N,P | - |
| 26 | Wittenbreer Marsh | 4.5 mi. E, 1 mi. N of Riceville | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | U,W |
| OTHER WILDLIFE AREAS (4 acres or less) | |||||||||||||||
| # | Name of Area | Location | Acreage | Campsites | Water | Cabin Rental | Shelter | Picnicking | Trails | Swimming | Fishing | Boating | Activities | Features | Hunting |
| 27 | Carroll Access Area | 1 mi. W of Lourdes | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | - |
| 28 | Cowan Wildlife Area | 5 mi. E, 3 mi. N of Riceville | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 29 | Jamestown | 1.5 mi. E of Riceville | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 30 | Miller Access Area | 1 mi. N of Lime Springs | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | - | - | - | F |
| 31 | Mitz Pit Wildlife Area | 3.5 mi. SW of Bonair | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F,U |
| 32 | Roman Wildlife Area | Maple 7.5 mi. NE of Elma | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 33 | Stepan Wildlife Area | 4.5 mi. W, 0.5 mi. N of Protivin | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F |
| TRAILS and FACILITIES | |||||||||||||||
| # | Name of Area | Location | Acreage | Campsites | Water | Cabin Rental | Shelter | Picnicking | Trails | Swimming | Fishing | Boating | Activities | Features | Hunting |
| 34 | Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail | 20 mi. trail Cresco to Calmar | - | - | - | - | - | - | BL,H,XS,S | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 35 | Prairie Springs Recreational Trail | 2.5 mi. trail Cresco to Vernon Springs | - | - | - | - | - | - | BH,H,XS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 36 | Prairie's Edge Nature Center | 1.5 mi. W of Cresco | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N | - |
| 37 | Wapsi-Great Western Line Trail | 10.5 mi. trail from Riceville | - | - | - | - | - | - | BL,H,XS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 38 | Wapsi-Great Western Line Trail | 3.5 mi. trail Elma to Lylah's Marsh | - | - | - | - | - | - | BL,H,XS | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| STATE (DNR) MANAGED AREAS | |||||||||||||||
| # | Name of Area | Location | Acreage | Campsites | Water | Cabin Rental | Shelter | Picnicking | Trails | Swimming | Fishing | Boating | Activities | Features | Hunting |
| 39 | Elma Wildlife Area | 4.3 mi. W of Elma on B17 | 155 | - | - | - | - | - | H | - | S | - | - | - | F,U,W |
| 40 | Hayden Prairie | 4.9 mi. W of Lime Springs on A23 | 240 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | P | U |
| 41 | Turkey River Access | 1 mi. S of Cresco on V58, 0.6 mi. E on Kings Rd | 410 | - | - | - | - | - | H | - | S | - | - | - | F |
| Campsites |
Water Toilets |
Cabin Rental |
Shelter |
Trails |
| Fishing |
Boating |
Activities |
Features |
Hunting |
Any comments, questions or suggestions? Just email us at howardccb@yahoo.com THANKS!
The Howard County Conservation Board in the provisions of
services and facilities to the public does
not discriminate against anyone on the
basis of race, color, sex, creed, national
origin, age, or handicap. If anyone
believes he or she has been subject to
such discrimination, he or she may file a
complaint alleging discrimination with either the Howard County Conservation Board or the Office of Equal
Opportunity, US Dept. of Interior,
Washington, D.C. 20240.
