National Public Lands Day: Park Clean-up Event

Celebrate National Public Lands Day at the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area on Saturday, September 30, from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm in two different areas of the park.

• What: Volunteer in one or both events in your park while enjoying some of Dubuque’s most beautiful scenery. One group will participate in trash pick up along park trails and another group will work on prairie and trail corridor restoration.

Event 1 | TRASH PICK UP (GROUP 1):

We will split into smaller groups (or on your own) and hike different trails to pick up trash left behind from the summer’s busy recreation season. Trails will include: Horse Shoe Bluff, Calcite, Sauk & Fox, Prairie & Cedar Ridge; Catfish; Cattesse & Eagle Scout trails. Keep in mind some trails have ‘Moderate’ to ‘Difficult’ ratings due to steep slopes, steps, and topography changes.

• When: Saturday, September 30, from 9:00am – 12:00pm
• Where: Meet at the Horse Shoe Bluff parking lot (11346 Mines of Spain Road)
• What to bring: hiking shoes; weather-appropriate clothing; water; sunscreen/bug spray; gloves; hat; etc.
• We will provide trash bags, gloves, and park trail maps.

Event 2 | PRAIRIE RESTORATION & CORRIDOR CLEARING (GROUP 2): 

We will restore prairie, as well as work on trail corridor maintenance and box steps cleaning. This will be a more labor intensive option and will require the use of hand loppers and/or shovels to widen trails, clean box steps, and remove invasive plants from prairie.

*These events are weather dependent.

Questions? Call the park office at 563-556-0620.