Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area bridges the lines between Dubuque, Jackson and Jones counties, it is one of the jewels in the Dubuque County Conservation Board system. This 419 acre area is open for public hunting during state designated hunting seasons. It is also a favorite with hikers, wildlife-watchers, and anglers dipping a line in Whitewater Creek. During periods of sufficient water, it is also floated by canoers and kayakers. Winter provides areas to snowshoe and cross-country ski. One of only three true canyons in the State of Iowa, the walls of Whitewater provide a lesson in the state's geology taking one back 450 million years to a time when what is now Iowa was under the sea. Rare plants and animals are also sheltered in the various natural communities found on the property. This area was purchased from Cliff and Jennie Waller through the cooperation of the state and federal agencies, a REAP grant, Habitat Stamp funds, and donations from private citizens/wildlife groups. An additional 140 acre tract from Dick and Arlene Henneberry was purchased by Jones County Conservation Board and is referred to as Lost Canyon. An expanded parking area and interpretive signage is planned for the site which will otherwise remain in a natural state. Motorized vehicles may only be taken down the lane to the parking area. Whitewater and Lost Canyon are accessible from Highway 151 and Curoe Road, approximately 5 miles northeast of Cascade. Find this geocache along the Stream Bottom Trail that starts in the prairie, goes down to Whitewater Creek, then wraps back up to the prairie.
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!