If you want to get a good look at an Eagle Nest bring your binoculars to this location. From the waypoint you get a good view of an eagle's nest looking SE across the field. Do you see any eagles at the nest? Last year a pair of eagles successfully raised one young eagle at this site. This spring I saw the mother eagle sitting on the nest. The picture of the pair of eagles was provided by my camera club friend Kevin McTague. The Bald Eagles have made a great comeback since the banning of the pesticide DDT. We are blessed to see many eagles around the Mississippi. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. It takes young eagles about 5 years to attain the adult plumage as shown in the pictures.
Bald Eagle
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**Cache at your own risk**
Geocaching, hiking, backpacking and other outdoor activities involve risk to both persons and property. There are many variables including, but not limited to, weather, fitness level, terrain features and outdoor experience, that must be considered prior to seeking a cache. Be prepared for your journey and be sure to check the current weather and conditions before heading outdoors. Always exercise common sense and caution.
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***There is a trail fee. Please pay it; it's cheap for a day of fun and helps maintain this wonderful trail.***
Length: 26 miles Surface: smooth, compacted crushed limestone ideal for bicycling. Grade: 1 percent maximum (1 foot rise for 100 feet traveled). Fee: $2.10 per day or $10.25 per year for persons aged 12 through 62, $5.50 per year for persons 63 and older, family pass $25.50. Trail Tickets: Sold by area sports and bicycle stores, businesses adjacent to trail, and self-registration tubes located at the trail parking lots. Winter Use: Snowmobiling from Dubuque to Dyersville, minimum of 4" of snow required. X-Country skiing from Dubuque to Dyersville. Interpretive Sites: Major interpretive area overlooks eastern trailhead. Trail Rules: No horses, motorized vehicles, fires, camping, unleashed dogs, or use after 10:30 p.m. Additional Dubuque County Conservation Board rules apply to the trail. Trail hours are sunrise to sunset year round unless otherwise posted.
Remember to be good ambassadors to nature. We as geocachers have a responsibility to leave it as we found it, so others may revel in nature's glory. Always replace the cache the way you found it, so others may enjoy the find. Permission was granted to place this cache by: Brian Preston, Executive Director Dubuque County Conservation Board.