Brush Creek Canyon

Yesterday, my husband and I took advantage of a sunny autumn Sunday by going on a drive.  As we pulled away from the farm he asked me where I wanted to go and I said, “Let’s go to Motor Mill so I can take some pictures and after that we can go wherever you want.”  On our way to Motor Mill, I suddenly got the notion that we should also visit Brush Creek Canyon near Arlington, Iowa.  Only one other time in my life had I been there and that was over 40 years ago, on a Sunday drive with my parents and siblings.

After backtracking due to a detour and our inability to be attentive enough to notice small signs, my husband and I finally located the gravel road leading into the park which which owns the name, “Brush Creek Canyon State Preserve”.   There was a hiking path buried in leaves which we followed for a short ways until it became too steep.  Besides lots of trees, we saw many pock-marked dolomite limestone formations, called “slump blocks”.  (I was expecting Fred or Wilma Flintstone to appear at any moment!)

 Click here to see info about Iowa’s state preserves.

The tree-filled slope led down to Brush Creek.  This is what canyons look like in Iowa!

 

We could have eaten our picnic lunch in the park shelter house, but since it was still before noon, we decided to travel on.  This is the road leading into and out of the park….

 

Tomorrow, I’ll show you Motor Mill.