Dolliver Memorial State Park
4.7(572)google
4.5(4)yelp
OutdoorHikingCamping
Overview
Dolliver Memorial State Park is a public recreation area in Webster County, Iowa, United States, featuring high bluffs and deep ravines on the Des Moines River. The state park is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Fort Dodge and 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Lehigh. The park contains two listings on the National Register of Historic Places: Dolliver Memorial State Park, Entrance Area (Area A) and Dolliver Memorial State Park, Picnic, Hiking & Maintenance Area (Area B).
Practical Info
Mon4:00 AM– 10:30 PM
Tue4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Wed4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Thu4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Fri4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Sat4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Sun4:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Suggested Duration3-5 hours
Best TimeLate spring (May to June) for lush ravine canopies and October for autumn colors offer the finest scenery inside this hidden gem. Walking through the iconic Boneyard Hollow sandstone gorge between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM is highly recommended; low late-afternoon sunbeams brilliantly highlight the massive, moss-covered sandstone bluffs, bathing them in amber warmth as you hike along the peaceful creek beds.
Getting ThereTucked inside the scenic Des Moines River Valley roughly 15 km south of Fort Dodge at 2757 Dolliver Park Avenue, Lehigh. Driving is required; travel south from Fort Dodge via US-169 S, turn left onto County Rd D33 eastbound, and follow the brown state park indicators to make a right onto Dolliver Park Avenue down into the valley floor. Free parking fields are located at the canyon access points.
Travel Tips
- The Boneyard Hollow canyon features water-carved sandstone structures vulnerable to rapid rockfalls; state codes outlaw any ascending scrambles on the loose vertical canyon walls post-rain.
- The park route utilizes concrete low-water vehicular fords to cross Prairie Creek; continuous downpours raise currents past safe wheel hub heights, making driving light sedans into active flows a total loss.
- The deep ravine topography acts as an absolute cellular dead zone; lock your digital map files and offline emergency routing manifests to flash storage before losing your network tower handshake.
Reviews
Positive
- The unique sandstone bluffs tower above the valley, bursting with vibrant, stunning colors under the sun; matches the hype.
- Boneyard Creek runs crystal clear, letting children safely splash around and skip stones on the pebble beds with great fun.
- Completely free entry; the historic group cabins feature modern kitchen setups and clean restrooms under orderly management.
- Deep old-growth trees block out all urban industrial noise; low crowds let you soak in uncommercialized, raw forest peace.
Heads up
- The low river valley breeds aggressive mosquitoes and horseflies from June to August; stopping to rest invites heavy biting swarms.
- Seasonal spring floods from the river easily submerge low camp lots and water crossings, completely blocking driving loops.
- The trail system consists mostly of raw dirt paths that turn into slick mud after rain, lacking safety steps for senior hikers.
- The site is isolated; cellular mobile network bars drop to zero at the canyon floor, and park signs lack multilingual variations.