Preparation Canyon State Park Camping

Sometimes when you find that little gem of a camping spot, you want to keep it a secret.  More visitors means you might not get the camp spot you want, there could be more trash and less nature, less seclusion and less peace.  We found Preparation Canyon when we just couldn't stand the thought of the ticks at Indian Caves State Park, or the drive, and started looking the Loess Hills area right across the river in Iowa.  Not a fishing or hunting park, with only hike-in camp spots, hilly paths through meadows and woods paired with inaccurate maps and no water source - somehow sounded like our kind of place.  There's not a ton of places in the NE/IA area where you can use all your backpacking gear, so this is a fun place to visit.  And of course we have to take advantage of the time with Brodie while he still likes to camp with us, either by force or duty ha ha:)  Here is a trip we took last fall, it was misty and cool in our pretty little spot on the hilltop.