This Quiet Iowa City Is Hiding In Plain Sight
Forget everything you think you know about Iowa. Near the northern border, the town of Decorah feels like a different world entirely, home to towering waterfalls and ice caves. You will be equally amazed by its cultural treasures, with sites dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder and museums celebrating Norwegian heritage. And when it comes to the food, Decorah takes you on a journey beyond Iowa, offering Texas-style barbecue and European-style bistros. Now that the secret is out, it is time to see for yourself why Decorah, Iowa, belongs at the top of your travel list this year.
Springs & Waterfalls
Surrounded by waterfalls and natural springs, Decorah feels like a small slice of paradise. Travelers can start their waterfall hunt at Malanaphy Springs State Preserve, a 64-acre area with a waterfall that plunges about 10 feet, emptying into the Upper Iowa River. The preserve itself is also extremely biodiverse, home to over 300 native vascular plants, such as basswood and sugar maple.
Dunning’s Spring Park hosts another of the area’s popular cascades. Here, you’ll find a waterfall framed by limestone cliffs, a hand-crafted stone bridge, and a path leading up to a gorgeous overlook. The final spring to check out is found at Twin Springs Park. After parking anywhere along Twin Springs Road, travelers can walk upstream to the point where the stream disappears, which marks the spring’s source!
Hiking Trails & Preserves
If you still have some energy left after your waterfall hiking, there are some other wonderful trails around town to check out. The Trout Run Trail is a townwide favorite, looping around Decorah along old railroad beds, past farms, limestone bluffs, the Oneota Valley, and the Upper Iowa River. In the warmer months, it is great for walking, running, biking, and trout fishing, while in the winter, it transforms into a space for cross-country skiing.
To the northeast of Decorah, you will also find spots like the Barbara Barnhart Van Peenen Memorial Park, which has hiking and mountain biking trails, pine forests, and eight acres of tall prairie grass to explore. One of the most interesting preserves to visit while in town is Ice Cave State Preserve, named for the layers of ice that form each January and often last well into August. Trails wind around the caves, many with steep inclines, weaving past vines and limestone.
History & Culture
With a strong Norwegian immigrant influence, Decorah has an interesting history that visitors can explore at the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. This museum dives into the Norwegian-American experience through a collection of 33,000 artifacts, 12 historic buildings in Heritage Park, and a folk art school that offers online and in-person classes.
Fans of Little House on the Prairie will want to take a short drive north to Burr Oak to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum. This site preserves the Masters Hotel, the only remaining childhood home of Wilder, in its original location. Open from May through mid-October, the museum offers guided tours that explore the hotel where the Ingalls lived and worked in 1876. For even more Decorah history, you also might enjoy a trip to the Porter House Museum in town, showcasing the home of Adelbert Field Porter, who was a naturalist, photographer, and collector of butterflies, rocks, and other natural marvels.
Culinary Scene
In Decorah, the perfect day starts with a steaming cup of coffee and wraps up with a locally brewed craft beer. You will find just the coffee you are looking for at Impact Coffee, which roasts its coffee right in town, offering Colombian, Costa Rican, Brazilian, and Ethiopian beans, among others. They also serve some delicious waffles and bagels to complement your hot beverage. For lunch, you can head over to La Rana Bistro, a locally owned restaurant that specializes in Mediterranean and French-inspired dishes.
Decorah might be a long way from Texas, but you wouldn’t know it once you step into Old Armory BBQ. Their smoked meats are the real deal, featuring everything from tender brisket and baby back ribs to pulled pork and turkey. The brewing scene is pretty strong in Decorah as well, with breweries like Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. making their own brews since 2015. Traditional German pilsners, West Coast IPAs, and pour-over-porters are a few of the highlights.
Your Search Is Over
If you have been looking for a Midwestern gem to visit this year, your search is officially over. Decorah is filled with outdoor adventure, with its waterfalls, springs, and trout streams being just a few of the highlights to look forward to. The museums, coffee shops, and breweries are perfect for those cold or rainy days, as well! And these attractions are just the beginning. There is so much more for you to explore, so get ready to see for yourself!
