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Summer Fun at Lime Creek Nature Center

By Katie Gerhart, Conservation Education Intern

Ready for some outdoor summer fun? Lime Creek has plenty to offer!

Hike/Bike

A scarlet tanager surveys his surroundings at the Lime Creek Nature Center bird feeding station.
A scarlet tanager surveys his surroundings at the Lime Creek Nature Center bird feeding station.

Start your day by stopping in Lime Creek Nature Center to plan a morning adventure on our 9 miles of trails. If you’re looking for a longer stroll, try out the River Bluffs Trail—at 1.07 miles, it provides a long scenic hike. Or, if you’d like something short and quick, check out the Easy Access Trail Loop. At only .57 miles, this short trail will take you through a wooded area, past a pond, and along the Winnebago River.

There are eleven trails in total to choose from. You can find trail maps and other resources at the Nature Center. If you bring your Smartphone with you on the trails, try using our Smart Trails system. All you need is the QR-code reader application on your phone. When you see a square sign marked “Smart Trail,” stop and scan the assigned QR-code using your phone. Each code gives different information on the plants and wildlife you experience along the trails.

Learn

A trail at the Lime Creek Nature Center
A trail at the Lime Creek Nature Center

Once you’ve explored the grounds, take a water or bathroom break at the Nature Center and then get ready to learn! Enjoy our impressive variety of mounted animals on display and read about each one. The main floor and the upper level are yours to explore! We also have seven different species of live animals including tiger salamanders, a snapping turtle, and a fox snake. We offer informational plaques to read about each of our animals and displays, but if you’d like to do some independent research, take a look at our natural resource library. It features books and magazines for all ages, as well as a variety of Iowa field guides available for checkout.

If you’re looking for something a little bit more hands on, participate in one of our interactive displays. The upper level features a touch table with items from a turtle shell to a shelf mushroom for you to feel. Be sure to check out our discovery boxes, display games, or prairie reading nook (complete with toy stuffed animals!) while you’re up there.

On the lower level, one of the most fascinating things to do is bird watch and identify. We welcome hummingbirds, woodpeckers, finches, and even squirrels and chipmunks to our feeders. If you see a new and exciting bird, identify it using one of our reference guides on the birding table and make note of it in our record book.

Explore

Ready to head back outside? Let us offer you a pair of binoculars, a field guide, or an Explore Outdoors backpack to take with you! Our Explore Outdoors packs are designed to help guide you in adventure whether you’re finding birds on the trail or creatures in the pond.

Camp

The best way to round out a full day at Lime Creek is by camping overnight at one of our campsites. If you’d like to stay some place close to the Nature Center, try one of our two primitive campsites. Located near the Lime Creek trails, these campsites offer you the opportunity to be within nature without being wholly secluded. Affordable permits to camp may be purchased at the Nature Center Monday through Friday before 3:30pm.

Larger modern campgrounds are located in Wilkinson Pioneer Park in Rock Falls, Linn Grove Park in Rockwell, and Ingebretson Park in Thornton. These three sites give you the option to camp with or without electricity. They also feature a shower house and a shelter house.

There is plenty to do outside this summer, so go out and explore! Remember to stay hydrated, stay safe, and have a great summer!

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