Your Next Outdoor Adventure is Closer Than You Think
Advocates have been working to preserve our country’s natural wilderness since the 1900s. Conservation efforts help educate people on how to enhance and preserve our natural resources for future generations. Locally, part of that tremendous task falls on the shoulders of the Woodbury County Conservation Board.
The Woodbury County Conservation Board is a county governmental agency that owns and operates the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. It also owns and operates four large developed parks, over 5,000 acres of undeveloped wildlife areas, several day-use areas and river accesses. These areas are open and available for residents to explore this summer.
Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center is an indoor/outdoor educational facility that sits right off Hwy. 12 near Sioux City’s Riverside area. The outdoor area features miles of trails leading into the oak forest, complete with prairie viewpoints. Butterfly and wildlife gardens dot the area near the 14,000-square feet building. Inside, visitors can experience interactive prairie, woodland and wetland exhibits and live native reptile and fish exhibits. Admission to the center is free and it’s open Tuesday through Saturday. In 2018, the Gilchrist Foundation helped fund some outdoor improvements to the center’s Nature Playscape area.
Brown’s Lake Bigelow Park
Bigelow Park is located one mile west of Salix, Iowa on the shores of the 600-acre Browns Lake. Originally a state park, Bigelow Park is 36 acres and has been managed by the Woodbury County Conservation Board since 1970 and includes numerous amenities, including camping, picnic and playground facilities.
Brown’s Lake is managed by the DNR. It is a natural oxbow of the Missouri River, formed when the river was free to meander across the river valley. Browns Lake offers excellent fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, northern pike and channel catfish. A fishing dock and boat ramp provide access to the lake, which is a popular area for recreational boaters and water skiers as well. The Gilchrist Foundation recently awarded the park a $50,000 grant to help fund updates to the lake’s shoreline and pier.
Located two miles southwest of Correctionville, Iowa on Hwy 31, this 609-acre area provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities for the public. The 10-acre lake has angling opportunities for large-mouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. Only electric trolling motors, oars and paddles are allowed on all county-owned lakes. There is a designated swimming beach area. And hiking trails offer opportunities to explore the marsh, native trees, shrub plantings, native prairies and food plots. In 2019, the Gilchrist Foundation awarded Ducks Unlimited a $40,000 project grant for the expansion of Little Sioux Park for wildlife and people.
Midway Park and Snyder Bend Park
Midway Park is located three and one-half miles north of Moville. The park is comprised of two abandoned gravel pits that have been converted to recreational lakes. Amenities of the park include fishing, paddle sports, boating and wildlife viewing.
Snyder Bend Park is a 35-acre area, wildlife refuge located three miles west of Salix, Iowa. The lake has been stocked with walleye fingerlings in the past, a cooperative project with the River City Anglers of Siouxland. Other popular game fish include largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, catfish and perch. The lake’s level has been drawn down for fish management and is currently unavailable for recreational use.
There are multiple undeveloped areas owned by the Woodbury County Conservation Board. They can found on the board’s website, along with maps that detail how to access these outdoor spaces.
Supporting the conservation of Iowa’s wildlife and natural resources has been part of the Gilchrist Foundation’s mission since the beginning. The Foundation was started by Jocelyn Gilchrist to honor her family, whose special interests included wildlife and conservation. The Foundation continues today in her memory and supports the philanthropic interests of the Gilchrist family. Organizations that are focused on conserving the area’s wildlife are encouraged to investigate how to apply for a grant through the Foundation.