Delaware County Conservation has opened all of its parks and campgrounds for the season.
Campgrounds are located at Bailey’s Ford, West Turtle Creek and Twin Bridges Parks, with new shelters at Bailey’s Ford and West Turtle Creek. Park shelters are available for first come and/or reservations by contacting the office. Check at the kiosk for self-registration and current rates.
Delaware County has a variety of parks with hiking trails available to the public – as well as fishing activities, including trout streams, river and lake fishing, with water access available. The Conservation Board has approved additional development projects for 2024, with these projects to be announced as they occur.
One park area in Delaware County is closed this year due to improvements. Coffins Grove Park and Shelter #1 will be closed to camping this season due to reconstruction projects, including new campsites, electric and water services, vault restroom replacement and park road upgrades. However, Shelter #2 will remain open for first come and/or reservations.
In addition to the project at Coffins Grove, the Conservation Department will be doing ongoing work with cutting down and removing trees in the parks due to the Emerald Ash Borer, with plans to replant other types of trees as soon as possible.
And Delaware County Conservation has a couple opportunities available for you. In cooperation with Pheasants Forever, they have no-till drill equipment available to rent – this is for private landowners to establish native grasses, waterways and buffer strips along streams. There is also food plot seed available for wildlife habitat.
And if you’d like to become a volunteer for Delaware County Conservation individually or as a group to help with park improvement projects or activities, there are a wide variety of opportunities available – feel free to reach out to their office. And to see all that Delaware County Conservation has to offer, including maps of campgrounds and wildlife areas, visit their website at delawarecounty.iowa.gov/conservation/.
