Swiss Valley Nature Preserve features a nature center containing interpretive displays concerning the wildlife, ecology, and natural history of the Swiss Valley area. The center also houses the administrative office of the Dubuque County Conservation Board. More than 10 miles of self-guiding nature and hiking trails radiate outward from the center through the forest, prairie, and wetland areas. The Catfish Creek, which meanders through the preserve, is stocked with trout by the Iowa DNR each year, providing many hours of fishing for anglers. In winter, many of the trails convert to groomed cross-country ski trails. The nature center also has snowshoes for visitors to use, free of charge. The preserve and the nature center are open year round except for holidays. Find this geocache almost right on the trail. The most difficult geocache of this series, be prepared to look carefully!
The Great Dubuque County Geocaching Series highlights the public parks, campgrounds, preserves, wildlife & recreation areas managed by the Dubuque County Conservation Board. With 2,358 acres of property, Dubuque County has, "Something for Everyone", in terms of fishing, hiking, frisbee golfing, hunting, camping, boating, biking, and many more activities. 16 geocaches are hidden throughout these Dubuque County areas where you will venture to rivers, prairies, bluffs, forests, mounds, a canyon, and find a diversity of plants and animals while you're at it. Within each of the posted geocaches is a clue for a hidden, bonus, geocache. Put all the clues/digits in alphabetical order of the parks, to create the coordinates of the bonus geocache. Example: Bankston (N), Bowstring (5), Fillmore (8°) would be N 58°. 2 parks do NOT have geocaches due to previous geocaches there, the clues of these parks for the bonus geocache are: Graf Park (3) and Massey Park (0') Happy geocaching!