Turkey River CG-Vernon Springs Park, Cresco, IA

Date of Stay:  Sunday July 24 – Wednesday July 27, 2016 (3 nights)

Rate:  $20/night

Website:  Turkey River CG-Vernon Springs Park
   11562 Valley Avenue (use directions on website to avoid a nice long dirt road)
   Cresco, IA 52136
   563-547-3634

Description:  Located in north east Iowa near a nice small town having wide gravel road and sites all level with water and 50A electric.  Nice bath house and dump station in back of cg loop.  We stayed on site 2 with woods and the bike trail right behind us.  The Nature Center here was about the nicest one we’ve ever seen with great displays and wonderful wall paintings of nature.  Quiet park during the week and probably not bad on weekends.  Walk-ins only, no reservations.  About 45 sites and only about 10 years old.  Self registration.

Trash and Recycle:  A few dumpsters throughout the cg.  No recycle in cg however, when I asked the nice lady at the Nature Center, she told me about the town’s recycle center at the end of Airport Road that takes most stuff.

Activities:  We arrived on Sunday just as Cresco finished a parade in celebration of the town’s 150 years of existence.  The little town and park is in top notch condition and the folks are polite.  The Prarie’s Edge Nature Center is about the best that we have ever seen.  There is a paved bike trail from the cg into town but it was a bit too hilly for me to pedal.  We celebrated Gin’s birthday here with her choice of activities (video games and bunny watching) and meal (brisket panini, loaded fries and brownie with ice cream for dessert).  No train noise here but the occasional sound of a crop dusting plane wasn’t bad at all.

 

Beautiful countryside in Wisconsin

   

Crossing the Mississippi at Prarie du Chien, WI          River boat Casino on the Iowa bank

 

On site 2 almost all alone

 

Vernon Springs Park across the road from the Nature Center entrance

  

Outside the Prarie’s Edge Nature Center

 

Aquatic life display                                    Above the entry door

   

Faded black bear and red fox                   Welcome                     Bison mount with wall paintings

 

White tail deer display                               Pheasant display

 

Gin on bike path behind Nature Center         Low flying crop duster plane