Past Events

Pre-Registration Required Enjoy a calm evening on the water at the lake in Lacey-Keosauqua State Park. Participants can kayak around the lake during one of two 45-minute sessions. Sessions will run from 5:30-6:15pm then again from 6:15-7:00pm and will each have 12 participants. Pre-registration is required. To register, please email Brittney at Naturalist@JeffersonCountyConservation.com. Participants 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Staff will provide boats, paddles, and life jackets which are required for the program. This is an…

Register Here July 15 (8:00am)- July 16 (5:00pm) Pre-Registration Required-Entering 7th-9th Grade Spelunking, hiking, camping, and white-water kayaking- what more could you want?! This two-day, one-night camp shows participants what unique outdoor recreation opportunities exist in Iowa. Participants will go spelunking at Maquoketa Caves State Park, camp out at Backbone State Park, and white-water kayak in Manchester. Camp will be limited to twelve participants who are entering 7th-9th grade.

Register Here Learn about the wildlife which call the Des Moines River home. Naturalist Pete Eyheralde will be leading the paddle which begins at Austin Park and takes out 5.8 river miles downstream. The paddle is open to everyone, however children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Paddle registration is limited to 20 boats. Jefferson County Conservation has a limited number of kayaks available to borrow if participants do not have their own boat. This program is…

If the skies are clear, join Naturalist Brittney Tiller as we search the sky for the newly discovered comet Neowise. Participants should meet at the ballfield in the picnic area near Shelters #1 & 2. Participants will be asked to maintain social distancing during the program.

Register Here July 21-23; 9:00am-2:00pm Pre-Registration Required-Entering 4th-6th Grade Campers will learn to rig their own pole, bait their hook, take their catch off the line, and identify the fish! The final day of camp will include a fieldtrip to a surprise fishing location. Included in the $45 camp fee are snacks and t-shirt. Camp will be limited to twelve participants who are entering 4th-6th grade.

Register Here July 28-29; 9:00am-2:00pm July 30 (4:00pm)-July 31 (9:00am) Pre-Registration Required-Entering 5th-7th Grade If you like non-stop action and a whole lot of fun, this camp is for you! We have combined all the favorite activities into one camp which will include fishing, archery, spear throwing, kayaking, fire building, and an optional overnight campout. Included in the $50 camp fee are a snack and t-shirt. Included in the $50 camp fee are snacks, a t-shirt, and food during the…

Pre-registration required- Register Here Geodes are nature’s treasure chest! Participants will be paddling this beautiful stretch of river between stops on the sandbars as we search for geodes. Ryan Clark, a Geologist with the Iowa Geological Survey, will be leading the paddle as he talks about the geology of the river, why we can find geodes in that particular stretch of river, and how geodes form. The paddle is open to everyone, however children under age 18 must be accompanied…

Head out to Lacey-Keosauqua State Park to Meet a Turtle. Chad Dolan, Biologist with the Iowa DNR, will begin his presentation with some general information on turtles then show some live turtles which call Iowa home. This is an official Des Moines River Water Trails event cosponsored by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Jefferson County Conservation. The Des Moines River Water Trail is one of 19 official water trails in Iowa.