Last Updated on 5 March, 2026 by Robyn Dockendorf
Maquoketa Caves State Park may not be as well-known as Yellowstone or Redwoods, but it contains some of the most fascinating geological features. Surprisingly, you’ll find this hidden gem in Eastern Iowa near the Mississippi River.
This article is your guide to the 9 best things to do at Maquoketa Caves State Park. In this geological wonderland, you can hike, explore one or more of the 13 caves, have a picnic, camp, and more!
Maquoketa Caves State Park is one of the most unique places in Iowa, with caves, balancing rocks, beautiful limestone formations and bluffs, and miles of trails to explore. Read on to learn about the 9 interesting things to do at this remarkable part of the Iowa State Parks system!
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1. Explore the Caves
The caverns at Maquoketa Caves State Park are the biggest attraction for visitors. 13 caves are available for exploration, some of which are nice and easy to traverse, while others require belly crawling and tight spaces.
Here’s a short breakdown of the 13 caverns at Maquoketa Caves State Park:
- Wide Mouth Cave: This short cave has a wide but low-ceiling opening. Pure white stalactites and stalagmites used to be in this cave, but souvenir hunters have since raided it, leaving nothing behind.
- Dug Out Cave: Another short cave that is nothing spectacular to explore, as it’s mostly just a shallow outcropping.
- Twin Arch Cave: This cave has some of the more interesting geological features. The cave supports two arches, and the ceiling is littered with shelled fossils from when this land was buried beneath a tropical sea!
- Hernando’s Hideaway: This is another great cave for beginner spelunkers. To explore the cave in its entirety, belly crawling is required!
- Up-N-Down Cave: Up-N-Down has one of the most intriguing entrances as it’s located several feet off the ground. It’s a fun traverse, but it does require crawling to explore the entire passage.
- Window Cave: Stooping may be required to enter and explore this cave, depending on your height. This is a short cave with a window that can only be viewed from inside the cave, looking out.
- Match Cave: There are two passages to explore in Match Cave, but the roof is very low. Crawling is required to explore this cave in its entirety. It’s a great cave for beginner spelunkers!
- Barbell Cave: Aptly named for the shape of the cave, Barbell has two rooms, but it’s a very tight squeeze between them.
- Shinbone Cave: Shinbone has a large opening that is easy to enter, but to fully explore the passages, crawling is required. Wrens and eastern phoebes can often be seen flitting to and from the many nooks and crannies of this cavern.
- Wye Cave: Wye Cave is one of the most difficult caves to explore. The entrance requires you to drop down 6 feet into a hole. Then, to explore the passage, you’ll need to crawl and shimmy your way through. Those with wide shoulders should be especially careful of getting stuck.
- Dancehall Cave: The most popular cave in the park, Dancehall is enormous and the only cave in the park lit with electric lights. There are three entrances to Dancehall: Lower, Middle, and Upper. You can walk upright 95% of the time inside Dancehall Cave, and no crawling is required unless you want to explore side passages.
- Rainy Day Cave: This is a wet cave with a stream running through. The cavern has two rooms, both of which are fairly big and easily navigable.
- Ice Cave: While you won’t find ice in this cave, it is much cooler than other caves in the park. This is likely due to the presence of a nearby cave with ice in it, possibly further underground.
For a more in-depth look at exploring the caves and the best way to see them all, check out our article on exploring the 13 caves of Maquoketa Caves State Park!
Recommended Gear for Cave Exploration
Whether you plan to explore the caves in their entirety or just duck into a few of the easier ones, there are a few pieces of gear that will make your journey more enjoyable.
- Flashlight or headlamp: Besides Dancehall Cave, none of the caves in Maquoketa Caves State Park are lit. A flashlight or headlamp will help you see all the intriguing speleotherms (cave formations) and potential fossils inside the caverns. The Black Diamond Astro 300 casts 300 lumens of light to show you every detail of the cave!
- Old clothing: It’s recommended to wear clothing that you don’t mind getting muddy or wet if you plan to explore the caves, as many require crawling, stooping, and getting on hands and knees to explore.
- Sturdy shoes: While some hiking trails are easily navigable boardwalk, others are on uneven dirt and rocky terrain. The cave floors are also dirt, mud, and uneven. Some are wet, while others are dry. A sturdy pair of shoes is a great addition to your gear.
- Gloves: A good pair of gloves will protect your hands while shimmying through caves.
Having the right gear can make the difference between enjoyable spelunking and miserable crawling, so make sure to pack the right stuff! You can check out our day hiking gear list for a more in-depth look at what you’ll need to hike and explore the caves.
2. Hike The Trails
Hiking and cave exploring go hand-in-hand at Maquoketa Caves State Park. The 370-acre park offers seven miles of trails. The trail system links caves, intriguing rock formations, overlooks, stunning rock walls, and the babbling Raccoon Creek all together in one adventure.
The most traveled trails in the park form a double loop that winds around each of the cave openings.
There are plenty of other hiking trails that meander around the park, including the West Prairie Trail, East Prairie Trail, and Outer Loop Trail. You can check out a Maquoketa Caves State Park Map to see all the available trails in the park.
Hiking at Maquoketa Caves involves some elevation gain, so a sturdy pair of trekking poles may be helpful for beginners. Hiking shoes or boots are highly recommended over regular tennis shoes due to wet and rocky terrain.
Many of the trails are dappled in shade from the surrounding trees, but a sunhat may be helpful if you plan to hike the prairie trails. Finally, remember to bring bug spray if you explore Maquoketa Caves State Park in the summer. We highly recommend Murphy’s Naturals. We’ve personally used it and can attest to its effectiveness!
By the way, if you love hiking with your pets like we do, you’ll be happy to know that Maquoketa Caves State Park is dog-friendly! Dogs are required to be on leash at all times. We have a fantastic dog hiking gear list to make sure your furry pal has everything they need to enjoy the park.
What To See While Hiking Maquoketa Caves State Park
Well, the caves, of course! But what else can you see at this wonderful park in Jackson County?
- Raccoon Creek: Raccoon Creek meanders through the park and even travels through several of the caves, including Dancehall Cave.
- Balanced Rock: a 17-ton boulder precariously perched along the boardwalk trail.
- Natural Bridge: Soaring at 50 feet above Raccoon Creek, this geological wonder is simply breathtaking! And yes, a hiking path leads directly under it!
- The Caves: The biggest attraction in the park! Take your time to explore the caves and marvel at the rock formations, soaring cliffs, and speleothems (cave formations).
In addition to the natural beauty of Maquoketa Caves State Park, many critters call this park home! Keep an eye out for bats that roost in the cave, various birds that build nests in the nooks and crannies of rock faces, and forest dwellers like squirrels and chipmunks.
If you’re interested in hiking at other Iowa State Parks, check out our Ledges State Park hiking guide!
3. Camp In The Park
Camping is available at Maquoketa Caves State Park from March through November. The campground is closed from December through February. (Note that the caves in the park close from October 15 to April 15 for brown bat hibernation.)
The Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground offers both electric and hike-in non-electric sites.
Campsites Available:
- 23 electric (20/30/50 amp)
- 5 hike-in (non-electric)
Amenities:
- Potable water
- Dump station
- Modern restrooms
- Showers
- Dumpster
- Playground
- ADA campsite available
If camping at Maquoketa Caves State Park sounds like your kind of adventure, you can book it on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Site.
4. Check Out The Visitor Center
Visitor centers are a wealth of information about the park and a great place to learn about the trails, wildlife, vegetation, and caves within the park. Plus, it’s always fun to look through the gifts and souvenirs to remind you of your trip.
At Maquoketa Caves State Park, the visitor center (also known as the interpretive center) features several reptile exhibits, including a box turtle, a black rat snake, and more. It also reviews park history, including how the caves were discovered and Native Americans who used them long ago.
The interpretive center is located at 9688 Caves Road.
5. Learn About The Park
Another interesting activity at Maquoketa Caves State Park is learning about the park through the interpretive signs. The majority of the informational signs are located near the park store on the southern side of 98th Street.
These signs highlight the importance of learning about the transmission of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), the animals that call the park home, as well as how the caves were formed. You’ll be surprised to learn how many species of bats live in Maquoketa Caves State Park (*hint – it’s close to double digits!)
6. Have A Picnic
There are 6 picnic areas at Maquoketa Caves State Park. All are located close to the road, making them convenient and easily accessible for the whole family. Each picnic area contains picnic tables to enjoy some snacks after exploring the park’s beauty.
There are two large non-reservable historic picnic shelters in addition to the picnic areas around the park. These were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s! The picnic shelters are great for large family picnics, but are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Check out our article on the best hiking snacks for power-packed, healthy snack ideas!
7. Observe The Wild Beauty
One of the best things to do at Maquoketa Caves State Park is to simply take in the wild and natural beauty around you. You don’t have to hike all seven miles of the park’s trails to see stunning rock formations, flowing creeks, and exciting caves.
Late summer is one of the best times to observe bats flying in and out of the caves. This is when new pups (baby bats) learn to fly and feed alone, and adult and young bats gather close to the caves in preparation for hibernation.
Each evening, swarms of bats may be seen exiting caves to feed on insects. A single brown bat can consume up to 1,000 insects per hour! That’s 1,000 fewer mosquitoes buzzing around you while enjoying the park!
Bats get a bad reputation for being ‘rats with wings,’ but the truth is, these are keystone species, just like bees. Without them, the ecosystem would degrade, impacting other animals, vegetation, and us humans too.
A trusty pair of binoculars can make viewing enjoyable from a distance. Check out the Nocs Provisions Binoculars for the perfect pair of travel binoculars.
8. Head To The Playground
If you plan to bring your little ones, be sure to check out the playground in the park. The playground is located near the two large picnic shelters, which are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parking is available at the two picnic shelters or near the entrance to the Maquoketa Caves State Park campground.
9. Sign The Kids Up For A Summer Camp Program
Another awesome thing to do at Maquoketa Caves State Park is to sign up for their Take It Outside State Park Camp Program. The program is for children entering 3rd through 6th grade, and runs from July 14-18.
The camp program offers:
- Exploration of the park
- Hands-on natural resource education
- Outdoor skills
If you have a kiddo at the appropriate grade level, they’ll have a blast learning teamwork, improving confidence, and learning introductory ideas about forestry, ecology, and the environment.
Maquoketa Caves State Park: A Natural Wonderland
As we wrap up the 9 interesting things to do at Maquoketa Caves State Park, it’s important to think about our impact while visiting the park. Please follow all guidelines to help prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome in bats, and always pack out all trash.
To recap, here are the 9 exciting things to do at Maquoketa Caves State Park:
- Explore the caves
- Go for a hike
- Camp in the park
- Check out the visitor center
- Learn about the park
- Have a picnic
- Observe the wild beauty
- Head to the playground
- Sign your kiddos up for a summer program
With so much to do and explore, you could spend a few days at this amazing Iowa State Park! If you have a few furbags like we do, remember to bring them along because Maquoketa Caves State Park is dog-friendly.
Until next time, give your furbags an extra pet from us and keep exploring this beautiful world! For more travel and hiking tips, check out our Dirtbags with Furbags blog.
