Ross Baxter

Here’s what you do: Find Cold Water Creek WMA in your sportsman’s atlas. Go to the west parking lot up on the hill, not the one at the bottom by the bridge. Follow the two-track down to the stream at the base of the bluff. Hop the limestone boulders across the creek and follow the lane until it narrows into a footpath. On your right you’ll see a meadow of trout lilies and a 50-foot bluff face. Take off your shoes, wade through the cold water and limestone rocks until you reach the spring that bubbles from the base of the cliff. Sit. Enjoy it. Take it in.

Contact Ross about: Protecting your land for conservation, INHF-owned property, Iowa’s secret spots