Outdoor Adventure Weekend

Warren County offers plenty of places to connect with nature and get active outside, with hundreds of acres of parks and half a dozen publicly-accessible lakes and ponds. Here’s one way you could spend the weekend:

Friday Night

Set up camp at Lake Ahquabi State Park, build a fire, settle in, and watch the setting sun over the 115 acre lake.

Saturday Morning

Spend the morning on the water at Lake Ahquabi. Rent a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard, then cool off with a swim on the sandy beach.

Saturday Afternoon

Grab your bike and drive 12 miles northwest to the Great Western Trail southern trailhead in Martensdale. It's about a 10 miles ride north to Cumming, where you can grab a bite at the Cumming Tap, get a cocktail at Iowa Distilling Company, or go a little further for pizza at the Chicken in Orilla.

Saturday Evening

Head back toward camp, and stop off at Annett Nature Center for an evening nature stroll. Grassy trails lead through the prairie to an observation tower with a stellar view. 

Sunday Morning

Catch your own breakfast on the lake, then pack up and head about 12 miles northeast to Woodland Mounds State Preserve. There, you’ll hike an easy 3 miles through the woods to discover the namesake earthen mounds, believed to have once served as burial sites for tribal leaders or as a part of religious ceremonies.