Winneshiek County Conservation

06/10/2026

🐛Wild Wonderers 🐛

As the first week of Discovery Camp progresses, even through the rain, we are learning all about nature's senses🔍, the forest🌳, and Iowa's wildlife🦝.

A special thank you to Decorah Parks and Recreation for letting us use Whalen Cabin and Phelps Park for our first week of camp, and to for donating snacks to fuel our campers all week!

05/25/2026

Don't Forget To Sign Up!

Winneshiek County Conservation will host the annual Stan Shevik Family Fishing Clinic on Saturday, June 6th at Lake Meyer Park and Campground.

The clinic will be held from 8:30 am-12:00 pm with optional fishing time 12:00-1:00 pm.

The free clinic is open to all ages and is a great opportunity to introduce new anglers to fishing. All registered youth will be eligible for a door prize. Youth under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the program. This is a family fishing clinic. We encourage adults to stay during the event!

Registration required at: https://www.winneshiekwild.com/events/stan-shevik-family-fishing-clinic-2026

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will also be assisting with the clinic.
June 5-7 is Free Fishing Weekend, when all Iowa residents can fish without a license.

05/22/2026

Campground update 5/22/26: Lake Meyer Campground is completely full. As of now Kendallville Campground still has open spots! Check www.winneshiekwild.com for updates. Thank you and have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Begin your journey in Winneshiek County Thank you for visiting the site for news and information about Iowa's Winneshiek County Conservation Board. Winneshiek County has over 20 public areas that are available for your use. Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, camping, picnicking, bir...

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! Thank you for supporting us as we connect people to the outdoors and keep the outdoors worth connecting to here in Winneshiek County. Join us this Saturday, April 25th to celebrate at the 2026 Earth Day Festival!

Visit www.winneshiekwild.com to explore all that we offer!

04/16/2026

Campground Update 4/16/26: Lake Meyer is fully open for the season. Kendallville Campground has electricity on but the water will remain off until May.

Watch our website for more updates on openings. https://www.winneshiekwild.com

Baseball Diamond | Playground | Modern Camping | Primitive Camping | Flush Toilets | Pit Toilets | Dump Station | Showers | Drinking Water | Fishing

03/27/2026

Update 3-27-2026: The boat docks and kayak launch are in at Lake Meyer, but both Kendallville and Lake Meyer Campgrounds will remain closed until further notice as we wait for the arrival of consistently above freezing temperatures. Keep an eye on www.winneshiekwild.com for updates as we prepare for spring!

Begin your journey in Winneshiek County Thank you for visiting the site for news and information about Iowa's Winneshiek County Conservation Board. Winneshiek County has over 20 public areas that are available for your use. Whether you enjoy hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, camping, picnicking, bir...

03/18/2026

Winneshiek County Conservation is offering a variety of public programs this spring! Check our website for details: https://www.winneshiekwild.com/upcoming-events

Highlights include:
🫎 Shed Antler Hunt this Saturday, March 21
🐦 Lots of birding programs!
🎉 Grand opening of Neste Valley Recreation Area
🌎 2026 Earth Day Festival

01/01/2026

🎉 Happy New Year! In 2026, Winneshiek County Conservation looks forward to helping you connect with the outdoors at your county parks and trails.

📆 Save these dates to your 2026 calendar:
- ❄ Ice Fishing Derby at Lake Meyer Feb. 1st
- 🦅 Birding in Winneshiek County at the Courthouse Annex Feb. 12th
- 🐦 Birdhouse Building at Lake Meyer Mar. 16th
- 🌎 Earth Day Festival at Winneshiek County Fairgrounds Apr. 25th
- 🎣 Stan Shevik Family Fishing Clinic at Lake Meyer Jun. 6th
- 🎪 Winneshiek County Fair Booth Jul. 14th-18th
- 🎃 Lake Meyer Campground Trunk-or-Treat Oct. 10th

Also, keep an eye out for free pop-up programs on 🐟 ice fishing, ⛷ cross-country skiing, 🌳 maple syruping, 🦆 birding walks, and more! Join the Winneshiek County Conservation Email Updates List online to receive notifications about upcoming programs. Find details at https://www.winneshiekwild.com/upcoming-events



Image description: Great horned owl sits in a tree at Lake Meyer Park in Winneshiek County, Iowa. Photographed by Winneshiek County Conservation naturalist Larry Reis. Find more of Larry's photography at: 122545282@N04/" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/122545282@N04/

12/16/2025

🎅🦌 Santa’s reindeer are roaming around Lake Meyer and need to be found in time for Christmas! Join us next Monday, Dec. 22nd for a “Reindeer Hunt” at 11:00 am starting from the Lake Meyer Campground Shelter!

Learn more about this FREE event at: https://www.winneshiekwild.com/events/reindeer-hunt-2025

12/04/2025

🌿 December weather calls for a reminder of the beautiful summer green that covers much of northeast Iowa! Let's round off our year of Knowing Nature quizzes with just a few more plants.

📝 Take the final Knowing Nature quiz here: https://www.winneshiekwild.com/news-article/knowing-nature-a-few-plants

🎉 If you have stuck with us all year and taken all 20 Knowing Nature quizzes, you have learned 168 different species that call Winneshiek County home!

👏 Congratulations to all who completed this challenge! If you still want to participate, check out each Knowing Nature article and quiz at: https://www.winneshiekwild.com/news-article