The Ice Cave Road In Iowa Is A One-Mile Out-And-Back Hike With A Waterfall Finish
By Ben Jones|Published February 10, 2021
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Ben Jones
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Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
In Decorah, Iowa you’ll find a road that offers two amazing sights for the price of a single short and easy hike. The Ice Cave Road will take you along a bluff to a hidden cave – if you’re feeling adventurous you can take a look inside. There are also some woodland trails nearby that are pleasant to explore.
The return hike will take you to another natural wonder- a beautiful waterfall, located at Dunning’s Spring Park. Lace-up your hiking shoes – here’s what you can experience on this Iowa waterfall adventure.
The hiking route is located on the north side of Decorah. You can park in the gravel lot near the river on the south side of Ice Cave Road.
The fastest way to reach the cave is to simply follow Ice Cave Road a half mile east from the parking lot to the cave. You'll see a sign and some steps when you arrive at the cave.
Bring a flashlight if you want to explore the cave - you can go about 60 feet into the cavern and it gets very dark. The ceiling gets low - adults will need to duck.
At the end of the hike, treat yourself to a relaxing view of the falls. They are only about 200 yards from the gravel parking area. There's a nice overlook you can use to take in the falls.