Posted by Jane Clark

Iowa Native Plant Society Field Trip
September 22  Webster County, Northwest Iowa

The fall flora of Dolliver State Park should be near its peak when Deb
Lewis leads this last field trip of the season.  Dolliver, located on the
Des Moines Lobe and the Des Moines River, is in some ways a twin of
Ledges State Park.  Both have a rich forest flora and beautiful
Pennsylvanian sandstone bluffs and canyons.  However, the vegetation of
Dolliver is more xerophytic than in Ledges or nearby Woodman Hollow State
Preserve.

In addition to the rich, mesic forests, Dolliver has a number of native
prairie/savanna areas which are lacking at Ledges.  A study of the flora
of this park was done in the mid-1980's by Deb and others at Iowa State
University. This study is published as: Johnson-Groh, C., et al. 1987.
Vegetation Communities and Flora of Dolliver State Park, Webster County,
Iowa. Proc. Iowa Academy of Science 94(3): 84-88.

Directions:

A)  North route.  From U.S. Highway 20 take the Coalville/county highway
P59 exit southeast of Ft. Dodge. Travel south on P59 to the
T-intersection with county road D33. Turn left (east) on D33; in about 3
miles you will be at the north entrance to the park.

B)  South route.  From U.S. Highway 169  turn right (east) on Iowa State
Highway 50 (this intersection is approximatley 5.5 miles south of U.S.
Highway 20 at the south edge of Ft. Dodge). Travel east on 50 for 5
miles to county road D33, turn left (north) on county road D33 for about
1.5 miles.  Meet at the parking area for Boneyard Hollow near the middle
of the park.

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