This week the kids and I headed to NE Iowa to do some hiking.
We spent our first day at Pike’s Peak State Park (Yes, Zebulon Pike did name two peaks after himself). We looked out over the Mississippi and hiked to Bridal Veil Falls. After that we headed to Effigy Mounds National Monument where we took a hike, did some worksheets about the mounds, and the kids became Junior Rangers. It was an exhausting and fun day.
The next day we headed to Decorah. We had a late start due to rain (did I check the weather before our trip or pack rain gear? No.). We hiked at Dunning’s Springs to visit the ice cave and explore the falls. We had a great time wandering around the park before meeting up with a friend for coffee. My niece goes to school in Decorah, and we had a wonderful time going to a playground, yarn shop, and dinner. It was a wonderful day.
We hope to get out on more hiking trips this fall. I’m enjoying the kids being able to log some miles on the trails.
mildlygranola 
What a great trip. I can almost hear the crunching of leaves.
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Super fun adventures and a beautiful time of year to explore the great outdoors.
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So the kids get to spend time at one playground and you get to go to the playground for knitters?
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Pretty much! You can’t beat it.
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This sounds wonderful!!
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Great adventures, Audrey has really grown up this summer!😳
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She has! She suddenly poses when I take her picture; hand on hip, bent knee, big smile. How on earth did she learn that?
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Another Pike’s Peak!! Who knew. I heard once that America the Beautiful was inspired by our Pike’s Peak but we can’t see the Mississippi…
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I think it is far more likely that your Pike’s Peak would inspire a song.
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It is a pretty view with the Rockies as far as you can see to the west and the plains to the east. The last time I went up a Fourteener it was to view a massive mining operation…
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Wonderful adventures! They sound like so much fun 🙂
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Great trip! You have the best time with those kiddos. I took my “kids” on a hike this past weekend (corgis make great substitute kids) we went to Connecticut and hiked the Salmon River Trail that starts by crossing a 1791 Covered Bridge. It was pretty steep and the leaves were just floating down all around us. My daughter & her dog were much more energetic as they go hiking all the time. Plus her dog’s legs are a lot longer, lol. But we ended with a picnic by the river. I made stand up pork pies 😋 served with applesauce & picalilli mustard, with cheese and honey jelly on rosemary crackers and cider. We washed it all down with a thermos of hot tea and molasses cookies (my fall specialty). Nothing could be better, I can’t wait to go again, even if it’s a 3 hr drive to get there (and then home).
I gotta tell you, you inspire me all the time with your kids. Such a great family. xo
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Your hike and picnic sound wonderful! You had much better snacks on your hike than we did, that is for sure.
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Looks like a wonderful adventure, those kids getting lots of great memories!
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We sure have a lot of fun on our adventures.
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