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Starr's Cave Park & Preserve
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Starr's Cave Park and Preserve
(319) 753-5808
E-mail us at:
starrscave@co.des-moines.ia.us
NATURE CENTER HOURS:
Please See Calendar Page for Up-To-The-Minute Schedule Changes
| Open Year Round | Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Weekend Hours are Seasonal: | |
| April 1 - October 31st. | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturdays |
| November 1 - March 31st. | Open on weekends only when snow is adequate for ski rental. |
| Cross Country Ski Rental: | Saturday - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm |
| Sunday - 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
The Cave will Re-Open April 01, 2010
About Starr's Cave Park and Preserve
The Preserve:
Starr's Cave Park and Preserve was established in the
mid 70's. It is owned by the state and managed by the Des Moines County
Conservation. The preserve is a 200 acre area just outside of Burlington,
Iowa. Features include a 2 mile trail system through mature woodlands, prairies
remnants and the limestone bluffs along Flint Creek. Three caves are also located within
the preserve. Hiking and caving are perhaps the most popular activities here.
Visitors are welcome to explore the caves on their own. Viewing of the cave
entrance from the bridge is accessible to wheelchairs. The limestone bluffs in
which the cave is located is a favorite place among geologists. The rock is composed
mainly of crinoid shells, a sea animal from the Mississippian Period 300 million years
ago. The bluffs are also home place of the internationally-known Starr's Cave Rock
Formation, a unique oolite limestone first discovered here. The lane to the preserve
is an excellent location for watching migrating warblers.
Staff:
The Nature Center is run by two county naturalists. They
offer a diverse selection of programming for schools, scouts, and other special interest
groups. In the summer, youths can enroll in one of the many day camps.
Hours: The Park and Preserve are open 6 a.m. to
10:30 p.m. daily. The Nature Center hours are
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(April-October only).
Nature Center Rental: The Nature Center is available for rental. The fee is $50 for a half day, $100 for a full day.
Cross Country Ski Rental: During the winter months when there is four (4) or more inches of snow on the ground, Cross Country Skis, boots and poles can be rente3d at the Nature Center. The rental rate is $5.00 per day (24 hours), $10.00 per week, or $25.00 per season. Skis can be used anywhere, not just at Starr's Cave Park & Preserve.
Maps: Maps of the park can be located at the Des Moines County Conservation Office, Starr's Cave Nature Center, or the Burlington Welcome Center. Click here for an image of SCNC map.
E-mail us at:
starrscave@co.des-moines.ia.us
or call: 319-753-5808
How do I get to Starr's Cave?
Starr's Cave Park and Preserve is located outside of Burlington in southeastern Iowa. The preserve can be reached by Highway 61. Turn east on Sunnyside Avenue. Go one-half mile and turn north onto Irish Ridge Road. Go on half-mile and the entrance sign will be on your left. Just follow the brown signs with white arrowheads.
When is the preserve open?
The preserve is open from 6:00 a.m. till 10:30 p.m. daily. The onsite nature center is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. till 4:30 p.m., depending on staff limitations, and Saturdays 9:00 - 4:00 p.m. (April-October). Hours will be extended during ski season once we have four (4) inches of snow. Please call the Nature Center at (319)753-5808 for more information on Cross Country Ski Rental.
What can I do there?
Hike the two miles of trails through the woodlands, explore the three caves, watch Flint Creek flow by, bird watch, view wildlife, enjoy a cookout, identify trees, flowers, plants and mushrooms.
What can't I do there?
Because it is an Iowa State Preserve, bikes are not permitted. No Rock climbing, hunting, fishing, mushroom, berry and flower picking, fossil and rock hunting or camping are not permitted.
What are the caves like?
The largest and only natural limestone cave in the preserve, Starr's Cave, is open to the public from April 1 to October 1. It is locked during the winter to protect hibernating bats. The cave is accessible by the Draper Bridge that spans across Flint Creek. Cave explorers for this cave will need a flashlight and clothing that can get muddy. The temperature within the cave stays at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. A person can walk in the cave about 30 feet, after that it is a crawling cave for 100 yards. The remaining two man-made caves, Devil's Kitchen and Crinoid Cavern, are dynamited holes in the rock face and cave exploration gear is not needed. Crinoid Cavern can be found by walking under Draper Bridge and the trail will dead end at it. There is a steep climb up to the cave. Devil's Kitchen is across the creek and the only way to get to it is to wade through Flint Creek.
What kinds of bats are in the caves?
Starr's Cave is the only onsite cave that bats use regularly. The other two are too exposed to offer the animals much protection. Little Brown Bats use Starr's Cave year-round, but are seldom seen during the hottest part of the summer. During the winter, Big Brown Bats and Eastern Pipistrelles will hibernate in the cave. It is possible that the cave is also used by the endangered Indiana Bat. Provided you leave the bats alone and keep noise to a minimum, the bats should not be disturbed.
Bat Conservation International, Inc.
Burlington Area Convention and Tourist Bureau
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Iowa State University Extension
Living Lands & Waters - Chad Pregracke
National Biological Information Infrastructure
Natural Resource Conservation Service
The Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Network
United States Geological Survey Biological Resources
