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Dolliver Memorial State Park |
Dolliver Memorial State Park
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Facilities and Activities
Dolliver Shelter
The two lodges at Dolliver, built during the 1930's, may be rented for day use.
They accommodate groups of 100 people and are ideal for group events such as
family reunions and wedding receptions.
An open picnic shelter may be reserved for a fee through the park manager. A
playground is located in the picnic area for the younger visitors.
View of the Dolliver playground
Family Cabin
Dolliver's newly renovated family cabin sleeps four, and is equipped with a
refrigerator and sink. It is located only a short distance from the modern rest
room and shower building in the campground. The cabin can be reserved for a fee
through the Internet at www.reserveiaparks.com or by calling toll-free
1-877-IAPARKS. For more background information on the the park reservation
system click here.
Group Camp
The group camp has a dining hall, modern rest rooms and showers and 10 separate
sleeping cabins. The camp is available on a reservation basis for a variety of
group events. See the document Group Camp Rental Reservation for specifics on
reservation policy and rates.
Camping
The Dolliver campground is located in a pleasant setting overlooking the Des
Moines River. There are 33 campsites with electrical hookups, modern rest room
and showers and a trailer dump station. Starting February 13, 2006 advance
campsite reservations can be booked through the park reservation system. Half of
the campsites are still available for self-registration on a first-come,
first-serve basis.
Trails
A trail will take you out past the Copperas Beds which are unique sandstone
formations towering 100 feet above Prairie Creek. The trail then continues on up
into oak covered hillsides and back down past Bone Yard Hollow. Trails also take
you out to the Indian Mounds and up more wooded hillsides.
Boating and Fishing
Dolliver is located on the Des Moines River, which is popular for both boating
and fishing. A modern boat ramp is located in the park and is a popular "put
in-take out" spot for canoeists as well as anglers.
Bluffs, canyons, the Des Moines River, Prairie Creek and Indian mounds are all
part of the natural and cultural history that make Dolliver State Park so
valuable to the people of Iowa. Purchased for $38,500, the 457-acre park was
dedicated in 1925. During the dedication ceremonies, a memorial plaque, the work
of noted sculptor Laredo Taft, was unveiled before a crowd of 13,500 people.
Copperas Beds
A unique facet of the sandstone formations at Dolliver are the "Copperas beds."
The towering 100-foot bluff on Prairie Creek is a cross-sectional view of the
ancient river bed that is over 150 million years old. Over the ages, the erosive
power of Prairie Creek uncovered this unique feature. The porous nature of the
sandstone has caused many minerals such as calcite and sulfur to dissolve as the
water seeps through. As the water evaporates, the mineral deposits are left
behind. You can see many of these deposits in the sandstone cliffs, as well as
petrified logs and sticks.
"Boneyard Hollow"
This narrow ravine running between rock walls was given its name "boneyard
hollow" by early settlers who found large amounts of buffalo bones in the
canyon. It is possible the area's first inhabitants drove herds of buffalo from
the prairie over the cliff to their death or perhaps drove the herds into the
narrow ravine and then killed & butchered them for their meat, hides, horns &
bone.
In 1912, a family picnicking in the area of the creek that runs through Boneyard
Hollow found a lead tablet at the mouth of the creek. Inscribed in Latin, it
stated that it was deposited in 1701 by Father Hennepin, a French explorer,
often credited with discovering the Des Moines River. The tablet was eventually
found to be a hoax, planted by people from the nearby community. However, Edgar
Harlan, then curator of the state archives, went to the site where the tablet
was found. His interest in the beauty of the area helped spark the state's
interest in eventually purchasing the park.
Nearby Towns
Lehigh is three miles southeast of the park and Fort Dodge is 10 miles north of
the park.
Contact Information
2757 Dolliver Park Ave.
Lehigh, IA 50557
ph. 515/359-2539
fax: 515/359-2542
E-mail address: Dolliver@dnr.state.ia.us |
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