Iowa Hidden Gem — Exploring the Valley of 13 Caves

I've written about Whitewater Canyon so much over the past 5 years that it really shouldn't be a hidden gem anymore, but it really still is. The foot traffic is fairly low, and the conservation and wildlife area probably gets its most visitors during hunting and 'shrooming seasons. That being said it is always a must go for my family, especially this time of the year, when we like to get in one "last" hike before the snow fall begins to accumulate and the cold weather and wind forces us indoors.

Most people know of the stellar overlook at Whitewater Canyon (seen above), it's graced many of my pictures over the years, both in summer and fall as the leaves turn. Lately though, I (and my kids) have been way more enthusiastic to explore the trail known as Lost Canyon which leads to my son's favorite place to explore, the Valley of 13 Caves.

For those of you curious about Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area it offers up 563 acres of prairie, forests, and cliffs in Northeast Iowa, specifically in Bernard, very near where Dubuque and Jones Counties intersect. This area is home to a dramatic 200-foot cliff at the scenic overlook, and narrow valleys formed by an ancient collapsed cave system.

Highlights include the secluded Lost Canyon, featuring caves, concave bedrock walls, and large dolomite boulders scattered across the valley floor. Visitors can explore the Lost Canyon and Valley of 13 Caves Loop, an approximately 2.4-mile trail ideal for hiking and running, complete with vistas, many caves and outcroppings, and the historic Henneberry Stone Dam, built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Jointly managed by the Dubuque and Jones County Conservation Departments, Whitewater Canyon can be found easily by following the brown arrowhead signs as you travel east on Hwy 151. Dogs are welcome on leashes, and the best times to visit are spring through fall, but my family always gets in our winter hikes. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are also on the cards here.

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This specific trail at Whitewater has become one of our favorites for several reasons. Each year we return, we revisit the same caves and as such they have been named by us. I have no idea if these caves already have 'names' but some of the formations, natural features, and animals found lend themselves to the names we've given them.

The first cave we always trek up to has been aptly named "bat cave" (seen above) as each year we happen to find one or two curled up and napping for the day. You can see this year's snoozing creature below.

The next must stop cave has been called Ice Cave by us since 2022. When we went exploring and were greeted by this stunning sight.

This cave is the easiest to find and explore as it is directly off the path. It also seems to be the most explored cave by visitors along the path. It offers a front main room, that joins to an additional room at the back by way of a smaller entrance that requires some crawling.

This time around the cave looked more normal as the water continued to seep through the walls and run along the floor of the cave.

There are some really beautiful formations along the walls and visitors should be careful not to damage any existing stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave.

We did end up finding all 13 caves on our trip through the valley at Whitewater Canyon. You can explore most of them, although many require a bit of crawling so may I suggest dirty clothes and a flashlight for sure.

In total our trip took just over an hour, but we could have spent much more time exploring the caves and amazing cliff faces. Each one of these red dots (seen below) represents a cave where these pictures were taken along the trail. Hopefully it can guide you to some really amazing experiences.

For those of you in Iowa looking for some fairly easy hiking and a chance at a little exploring and adventure, Whitewater Canyon is definitely the "hidden gem" you'll want to make a stop at.

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