1585:
89:
64:
50:
1868:
482:
96:
71:
226:
Ice Cave is open to the public as an 'enter at your own risk' attraction. In the late 1990s, the
Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey Bureau required a permanent barrier be installed due to some rock movement. Since then, a large rock has fallen and visitors are now only able to
242:
of Iowa. From autumn and into early winter the cave is dry. Ice begins to form in
January or February near the entrance and continues down to the lower levels. Several inches of ice on the north wall materializes by late May, and generally remains until late August.
1111:
1101:
1271:
936:
1066:
996:
1928:
1875:
1845:
1266:
1261:
1201:
1191:
1171:
1161:
1978:
1156:
1131:
1121:
1081:
1296:
1151:
1051:
961:
956:
1933:
1336:
1281:
1251:
1141:
1036:
926:
700:
1351:
1021:
1011:
931:
680:
1414:
1361:
1316:
1306:
1291:
1286:
1216:
1206:
1096:
1031:
976:
1321:
1311:
1176:
1146:
1116:
1326:
1226:
1166:
1056:
981:
1489:
1276:
1126:
1006:
1001:
991:
868:
1494:
1256:
1221:
1041:
941:
921:
1429:
1371:
1241:
1186:
1479:
1469:
1454:
1439:
946:
878:
1542:
1409:
464:
1484:
1434:
1424:
1993:
1459:
1419:
130:
1909:
1464:
863:
1404:
246:
The cave was given to
Decorah in 1954 and remains the property of the city. It was declared a state geological state preserve in 1973. It was placed on the
873:
1948:
1474:
1449:
449:
211:. It consists of a 3-acre (1.2 ha) parcel of land at the edge of Barbara Barnhart VanPeenen Memorial Park in the northern portion of the city of
360:
1716:
88:
1983:
1666:
1535:
1968:
1963:
1136:
1849:
1902:
1973:
1799:
1528:
63:
439:
381:
1646:
408:
1394:
1895:
459:
416:
353:
1988:
1656:
1584:
1551:
1510:
750:
530:
454:
369:
295:
272:
247:
36:
1746:
840:
444:
292:"Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve (Click on the link "State Preserves Guide (Listing of all 95 preserves)" in the text.)"
1341:
966:
690:
555:
525:
815:
675:
585:
390:
1016:
346:
1520:
1211:
1106:
1046:
605:
434:
398:
1346:
1071:
898:
660:
1938:
1366:
1356:
1091:
986:
805:
790:
760:
620:
1767:
1741:
1599:
1301:
1246:
1061:
971:
913:
800:
570:
1883:
1086:
795:
770:
720:
1686:
1231:
1076:
850:
740:
685:
625:
540:
515:
903:
695:
1385:
1181:
883:
650:
595:
580:
507:
426:
208:
1943:
1555:
825:
820:
755:
665:
640:
630:
610:
216:
1953:
1831:
1625:
1444:
1331:
835:
810:
780:
730:
710:
655:
645:
590:
1706:
1604:
1574:
1236:
893:
775:
735:
725:
705:
635:
615:
560:
550:
535:
321:
317:
277:
1762:
1726:
1681:
1651:
951:
830:
745:
545:
8:
1721:
1711:
1676:
1671:
1609:
888:
858:
575:
520:
1958:
1815:
1736:
1641:
765:
498:
291:
184:
1783:
715:
670:
565:
1550:
1196:
785:
600:
231:
1569:
1879:
1876:
property in
Winneshiek County, Iowa on the National Register of Historic Places
239:
1922:
1731:
1701:
1691:
212:
145:
132:
118:
338:
49:
487:
238:
and cave systems, all of which are present in the area, a portion of the
1846:
National
Register of Historic Places listings in Winneshiek County, Iowa
1696:
1867:
235:
204:
267:
227:
comfortably walk into the cave about 10 feet from the entrance.
1929:
National
Register of Historic Places in Winneshiek County, Iowa
1979:
Natural features on the
National Register of Historic Places
373:
220:
1934:
Parks on the
National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
95:
70:
477:
1393:
1920:
1717:Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Combination Depot
1994:Northeast Iowa Registered Historic Place stubs
1903:
1667:Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool
1536:
354:
315:
1850:List of National Historic Landmarks in Iowa
368:
1949:Protected areas of Winneshiek County, Iowa
1910:
1896:
1543:
1529:
361:
347:
48:
37:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
1707:Luther College Campus Historic District
1921:
1647:Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District
309:
268:"National Register Information System"
1524:
342:
1984:Landforms of Winneshiek County, Iowa
1862:
1657:Decorah Commercial Historic District
1552:National Register of Historic Places
1511:Iowa Department of Natural Resources
296:Iowa Department of Natural Resources
284:
273:National Register of Historic Places
248:National Register of Historic Places
230:Ice caves are one characteristic of
1969:Protected areas established in 1954
1964:Protected areas established in 1973
1747:Washington Prairie Methodist Church
260:
13:
14:
2005:
1866:
1583:
480:
94:
87:
69:
62:
1974:Show caves in the United States
1768:Fort Atkinson Historic District
701:Mines of Spain & E.B. Lyons
201:Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve
179:
1:
1112:Iowa's State Preserves System
253:
103:Show map of the United States
1882:. You can help Knowledge by
1600:Burr Oak House/Masters Hotel
1102:Indian Bluffs Primitive Area
18:United States historic place
7:
1989:1973 establishments in Iowa
1272:Saint James Lutheran Church
450:Northern Tallgrass Prairie
10:
2010:
1861:
937:Behrens Pond and Woodlands
1840:
1824:
1808:
1792:
1776:
1755:
1634:
1618:
1592:
1581:
1562:
1507:
1384:
912:
849:
531:Banner Lakes at Summerset
506:
497:
475:
427:National Wildlife Refuges
425:
407:
389:
380:
190:
178:NRHP reference
177:
169:
161:
124:
112:
56:
47:
43:
34:
27:
23:
1067:Freda Haffner Kettlehole
997:Cedar Hills Sand Prairie
209:Midwestern United States
1556:Winneshiek County, Iowa
1357:Wittrock Indian Village
1267:Rolling Thunder Prairie
465:Upper Mississippi River
203:has one of the largest
165:2.9 acres (1.2 ha)
1832:Wenzil Taylor Building
1677:Ellsworth-Porter House
1626:Calmar Passenger Depot
409:National Historic Site
1874:This article about a
1742:Ten Mile Creek Bridge
1605:Burr Oak Savings Bank
1575:Upper Bluffton Bridge
1262:Roggman Boreal Slopes
1202:Nestor Stiles Prairie
1192:Mount Pisgah Cemetery
1172:Merrill A. Stainbrook
1162:Marietta Sand Prairie
322:National Park Service
278:National Park Service
146:43.31056°N 91.78417°W
1939:Iowa state preserves
1763:Fort Atkinson Bridge
1727:Painter-Bernatz Mill
1682:Highlandville School
1652:Cooley-Whitney House
1157:Mann Wilderness Area
1132:Liska-Stanek Prairie
1122:Kish-Ke-Kosh Prairie
1082:Hardin City Woodland
606:George Wyth Memorial
1722:Norris Miller House
1712:Luther College Farm
1672:Decorah Woolen Mill
1610:Kinney Octagon Barn
1342:Turkey River Mounds
1297:Silvers-Smith Woods
661:Lake of Three Fires
316:George E. Knudson.
151:43.31056; -91.78417
142: /
1816:Ossian Opera House
1737:Steyer Opera House
1642:Birdsall Lime Kiln
1152:Manikowski Prairie
1052:Five Ridge Prairie
962:Brush Creek Canyon
957:Bluffton Fir Stand
761:Preparation Canyon
318:"Decorah Ice Cave"
1891:
1890:
1856:
1855:
1784:Frankville School
1518:
1517:
1503:
1502:
1380:
1379:
1347:White Pine Hollow
1337:Turin Loess Hills
1332:Toolesboro Mounds
1252:Rock Creek Island
1142:Malanaphy Springs
1037:Doolittle Prairie
1017:Cold Water Spring
927:Ames High Prairie
899:White Pine Hollow
571:Dolliver Memorial
473:
472:
391:National monument
217:Winnesheik County
198:
197:
194:December 20, 1978
2001:
1912:
1905:
1898:
1870:
1863:
1793:Jackson Junction
1662:Decorah Ice Cave
1587:
1545:
1538:
1531:
1522:
1521:
1391:
1390:
1352:Williams Prairie
1212:Old State Quarry
1137:Little Maquoketa
1107:Indian Fish Trap
1047:Fish Farm Mounds
1027:Decorah Ice Cave
1022:Crossman Prairie
1012:Claybanks Forest
932:Anderson Prairie
721:Palisades-Kepler
504:
503:
490:
485:
484:
483:
387:
386:
363:
356:
349:
340:
339:
333:
332:
330:
328:
313:
307:
306:
304:
302:
288:
282:
281:
264:
232:karst topography
181:
157:
156:
154:
153:
152:
147:
143:
140:
139:
138:
135:
104:
98:
97:
91:
79:
78:Show map of Iowa
73:
72:
66:
52:
29:Decorah Ice Cave
21:
20:
2009:
2008:
2004:
2003:
2002:
2000:
1999:
1998:
1919:
1918:
1917:
1916:
1859:
1857:
1852:
1836:
1820:
1804:
1800:Lawrence Bridge
1788:
1772:
1751:
1630:
1614:
1588:
1579:
1570:Gilliece Bridge
1558:
1549:
1519:
1514:
1499:
1495:Three Mile Lake
1397:
1376:
1362:Woodland Mounds
1317:Stinson Prairie
1292:Silver Lake Fen
1287:Sheeder Prairie
1217:Palisades-Downs
1207:Ocheyedan Mound
1097:Hoffman Prairie
1072:Gitchie Manitou
1032:Dinesen Prairie
914:State Preserves
908:
845:
741:Pillsbury Point
686:Maquoketa Caves
676:Lewis and Clark
626:Lacey-Keosauqua
516:Ambrose A. Call
493:
486:
481:
479:
469:
421:
403:
376:
370:Protected areas
367:
337:
336:
326:
324:
314:
310:
300:
298:
290:
289:
285:
280:. July 9, 2010.
266:
265:
261:
256:
150:
148:
144:
141:
136:
133:
131:
129:
128:
117:
108:
107:
106:
105:
102:
101:
100:
99:
82:
81:
80:
77:
76:
75:
74:
39:
30:
19:
12:
11:
5:
2007:
1997:
1996:
1991:
1986:
1981:
1976:
1971:
1966:
1961:
1956:
1951:
1946:
1944:Driftless Area
1941:
1936:
1931:
1915:
1914:
1907:
1900:
1892:
1889:
1888:
1871:
1854:
1853:
1841:
1838:
1837:
1835:
1834:
1828:
1826:
1822:
1821:
1819:
1818:
1812:
1810:
1806:
1805:
1803:
1802:
1796:
1794:
1790:
1789:
1787:
1786:
1780:
1778:
1774:
1773:
1771:
1770:
1765:
1759:
1757:
1753:
1752:
1750:
1749:
1744:
1739:
1734:
1729:
1724:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1694:
1689:
1684:
1679:
1674:
1669:
1664:
1659:
1654:
1649:
1644:
1638:
1636:
1632:
1631:
1629:
1628:
1622:
1620:
1616:
1615:
1613:
1612:
1607:
1602:
1596:
1594:
1590:
1589:
1582:
1580:
1578:
1577:
1572:
1566:
1564:
1560:
1559:
1548:
1547:
1540:
1533:
1525:
1516:
1515:
1508:
1505:
1504:
1501:
1500:
1498:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1430:Frank A. Gotch
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1407:
1401:
1399:
1388:
1382:
1381:
1378:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1369:
1367:Woodman Hollow
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1322:Strasser Woods
1319:
1314:
1312:Steele Prairie
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1282:Searryl's Cave
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1177:Merritt Forest
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1147:Malchow Mounds
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1092:Hayden Prairie
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
987:Cayler Prairie
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
918:
916:
910:
909:
907:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
855:
853:
847:
846:
844:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
751:Pleasant Creek
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
696:McIntosh Woods
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
638:
633:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
603:
598:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
568:
563:
558:
553:
548:
543:
538:
533:
528:
523:
518:
512:
510:
501:
495:
494:
492:
491:
476:
474:
471:
470:
468:
467:
462:
457:
452:
447:
442:
440:Driftless Area
437:
431:
429:
423:
422:
420:
419:
417:Herbert Hoover
413:
411:
405:
404:
402:
401:
395:
393:
384:
378:
377:
366:
365:
358:
351:
343:
335:
334:
308:
283:
258:
257:
255:
252:
240:Driftless Area
196:
195:
192:
188:
187:
182:
175:
174:
171:
167:
166:
163:
159:
158:
126:
122:
121:
114:
110:
109:
93:
92:
86:
85:
84:
83:
68:
67:
61:
60:
59:
58:
57:
54:
53:
45:
44:
41:
40:
35:
32:
31:
28:
25:
24:
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2006:
1995:
1992:
1990:
1987:
1985:
1982:
1980:
1977:
1975:
1972:
1970:
1967:
1965:
1962:
1960:
1957:
1955:
1954:Caves of Iowa
1952:
1950:
1947:
1945:
1942:
1940:
1937:
1935:
1932:
1930:
1927:
1926:
1924:
1913:
1908:
1906:
1901:
1899:
1894:
1893:
1887:
1885:
1881:
1877:
1872:
1869:
1865:
1864:
1860:
1851:
1847:
1844:
1839:
1833:
1830:
1829:
1827:
1823:
1817:
1814:
1813:
1811:
1807:
1801:
1798:
1797:
1795:
1791:
1785:
1782:
1781:
1779:
1775:
1769:
1766:
1764:
1761:
1760:
1758:
1756:Fort Atkinson
1754:
1748:
1745:
1743:
1740:
1738:
1735:
1733:
1732:Steyer Bridge
1730:
1728:
1725:
1723:
1720:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1702:Locust School
1700:
1698:
1697:Koren Library
1695:
1693:
1692:Jacobson Farm
1690:
1688:
1685:
1683:
1680:
1678:
1675:
1673:
1670:
1668:
1665:
1663:
1660:
1658:
1655:
1653:
1650:
1648:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1639:
1637:
1633:
1627:
1624:
1623:
1621:
1617:
1611:
1608:
1606:
1603:
1601:
1598:
1597:
1595:
1591:
1586:
1576:
1573:
1571:
1568:
1567:
1565:
1561:
1557:
1553:
1546:
1541:
1539:
1534:
1532:
1527:
1526:
1523:
1513:
1512:
1506:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1480:Sharon Bluffs
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1470:Oakland Mills
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1455:Margo Frankel
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1440:Lake Cornelia
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1400:
1396:
1392:
1389:
1387:
1383:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1327:Sylvan Runkel
1325:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1302:Slinde Mounds
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1247:Roberts Creek
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1227:Pellett Woods
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1167:Mericle Woods
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1062:Fort Atkinson
1060:
1058:
1057:Fleming Woods
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
982:Catfish Creek
980:
978:
975:
973:
972:Cameron Woods
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
919:
917:
915:
911:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
856:
854:
852:
851:State Forests
848:
842:
841:Wilson Island
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
796:Trapper's Bay
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
651:Lake Macbride
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
602:
599:
597:
596:Fort Defiance
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
581:Elinor Bedell
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
547:
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
513:
511:
509:
505:
502:
500:
496:
489:
478:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
453:
451:
448:
446:
443:
441:
438:
436:
433:
432:
430:
428:
424:
418:
415:
414:
412:
410:
406:
400:
399:Effigy Mounds
397:
396:
394:
392:
388:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
364:
359:
357:
352:
350:
345:
344:
341:
323:
319:
312:
297:
293:
287:
279:
275:
274:
269:
263:
259:
251:
249:
244:
241:
237:
234:, along with
233:
228:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
193:
191:Added to NRHP
189:
186:
183:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
155:
127:
123:
120:
119:Decorah, Iowa
115:
111:
90:
65:
55:
51:
46:
42:
38:
33:
26:
22:
16:
1884:expanding it
1873:
1858:
1842:
1661:
1509:
1415:Crystal Lake
1410:Cold Springs
1307:Starr's Cave
1277:Savage Woods
1197:Mount Talbot
1127:Lamson Woods
1087:Hartley Fort
1026:
1007:Clay Prairie
1002:Cheever Lake
992:Cedar Bluffs
977:Casey's Paha
967:Brushy Creek
904:Yellow River
826:Wapsipinicon
821:Walnut Woods
756:Prairie Rose
691:Marble Beach
666:Lake Wapello
641:Lake Darling
631:Lake Ahquabi
611:Green Valley
556:Brushy Creek
526:Badger Creek
460:Union Slough
325:. Retrieved
311:
299:. Retrieved
286:
271:
262:
245:
229:
225:
200:
199:
116:Ice Cave Rd.
15:
1485:Spring Lake
1445:Lake Icaria
1435:Heery Woods
1425:Echo Valley
1395:State Parks
1257:Rock Island
1232:Pilot Grove
1222:Pecan Grove
1077:Hanging Bog
1042:Fallen Rock
942:Berry Woods
922:A.F. Miller
884:Pilot Mound
879:Loess Hills
836:Wildcat Den
816:Volga River
811:Viking Lake
806:Union Grove
781:Springbrook
731:Pikes Point
716:Okamanpedan
711:Nine Eagles
656:Lake Manawa
646:Lake Keomah
621:Honey Creek
586:Emerson Bay
508:State Parks
488:Iowa portal
455:Port Louisa
149: /
125:Coordinates
1923:Categories
1825:Spillville
1777:Frankville
1687:Horn House
1460:Mill Creek
1420:Eagle Lake
1372:Woodthrush
1242:Retz Woods
1237:Pilot Knob
1187:Mossy Glen
801:Twin Lakes
776:Rock Creek
736:Pilot Knob
726:Pikes Peak
706:Mini-Wakan
636:Lake Anita
616:Gull Point
566:Clear Lake
561:Cedar Rock
551:Black Hawk
536:Beeds Lake
445:Neal Smith
254:References
134:43°18′38″N
1959:Ice caves
1843:See also:
1490:Swan Lake
1465:Oak Grove
947:Bird Hill
831:Waubonsie
771:Rice Lake
746:Pine Lake
681:Lower Gar
546:Big Creek
250:in 1978.
236:sinkholes
205:ice caves
137:91°47′3″W
1593:Burr Oak
1563:Bluffton
1405:Bobwhite
1398:(Leased)
894:Stephens
859:Backbone
591:Fairport
576:Elk Rock
541:Bellevue
521:Backbone
185:78001269
113:Location
1635:Decorah
1182:Montauk
869:Gifford
864:Barkley
791:Templar
766:Red Haw
382:Federal
327:July 5,
301:July 5,
213:Decorah
207:in the
1809:Ossian
1619:Calmar
1475:Pammel
1450:Kearny
1386:County
1117:Kalsow
889:Shimek
671:Ledges
435:DeSoto
1878:is a
952:Bixby
874:Holst
786:Stone
601:Geode
499:State
215:, in
170:Built
1880:stub
1848:and
374:Iowa
329:2016
303:2016
221:Iowa
173:1898
162:Area
1554:in
372:of
180:No.
1925::
320:.
294:.
276:.
270:.
223:.
219:,
1911:e
1904:t
1897:v
1886:.
1544:e
1537:t
1530:v
362:e
355:t
348:v
331:.
305:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
