Experience the great outdoors No matter what draws you outdoors, the Clear Lake area is full of natural experiences waiting for you to discover.
BIRDING With some of the best natural habitat in the state, Clear Lake is a haven for a variety of bird species (the area is home to six designated globally Important Bird Areas). Hike the public, paved trail at Ventura Cove, one of the last undeveloped stretches of shoreline on Clear Lake. The woods around it are privately protected, and are home to many migrating bird species, including a former heron rookery. If it’s waterfowl you’re looking to spot, Zirbel Slough can’t be beat — water-loving birds flock to the 330 acres of natural marshes, wetlands and prairie pothole landscape.
Frank Lloyd Wright. Once in Mason City, take the 2-mile Winnebago Trail to the north to visit the Lime Creek Nature Center. Mountain bikers will find luck on the trails extending from Lime Creek Nature Center, and an ever-growing fat biking crowd descends upon the shores of Clear Lake each winter.
HIKING For a true adventure, venture out to Woodford Island near the south end of Clear Lake, right off Grand View Point. Primitive hiking paths flow through the island, donated to the state by Earl and Esther Woodford Ashland in 1971. Trek just 20 miles from the town center and you’ll find a natural haven at the Shellrock River Greenbelt and Preserve, a 590-acre area managed by Cerro Gordo County Conservation. A 7.5-mile hiking and multiuse trail leads you past the limestone bluffs towering the Shellrock River and through the woods and meadows within the preserve.
FAMILY FUN A Great Blue Heron fishes off a dock. Photo by Kris Lamont
BIKING On a beautiful day, any level of biker can enjoy Clear Lake on two wheels. Take a spin along the lakeshore on a 14-mile paved trail. The 7.5-mile Trolley Trail headed east will take you from Clear Lake to nearby Mason City — make sure to visit Iowa Trolley Park along the route to learn more about local trolley history. In Mason City, you’ll find many great examples of Prairie School architecture, including the only hotel ever designed by
Photo by Ron Miles, Jr. www.clearlakeiowa.com
For an easy and educational hike, take the kids to McIntosh Photo by Julie Pals Woods State Park, where a 1-mile interpretive trail walks you through the many landscapes found within the park, including woodlands, prairie areas and Mallard Marsh. Signs along the way teach how each landscape contributes to the natural uniqueness of Clear Lake. For a longer trip, visit the Lime Creek Conservation Area and Nature Center north of Mason City. The nature center is an exploration into Clear Lake-area’s natural features, and hiking trails lead you throughout the 440-acre preserve, which lies adjacent to the Winnebago River. Want to take education outdoors? Check out one of the nature center’s Explore Outdoors Packs — a backpack full of books, maps, field guides and children-specific activities to help your kids learn more about their natural surroundings. There are three different packs for different interests: tree, insect and bird packs.
Kerri was raised in Iowa City but did most of her growing up on the trails of Lake MacBride State Park, a secluded natural oasis from big city life. There she saw her first owl, built many a campfire and learned to appreciate the value and benefits of protected outdoor spaces. Those experiences stayed with her through a journalism degree at Drake University and led her to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in hopes of instilling the same love for nature in other Iowans. Kerri manages the foundation’s digital communications and can often be found biking toward the best Iowa brews. Destination Clear Lake 2017
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