Elma Park
Rate this placeNearby: Lylahs Marsh County Park Goodale Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Elma Park is located in Howard County, Iowa, and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
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Summary
The park offers a range of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and picnicking. The park is known for its scenic beauty, with rolling hills, dense forests, and abundant wildlife.
One of the top attractions in Elma Park is the Howard County Freedom Rock, a large boulder that has been painted with patriotic images and messages to honor veterans. The park also features a playground, picnic shelters, and a camping area with RV hookups.
Visitors to Elma Park can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking on the park's trails, fishing in the nearby streams and lakes, and boating on the Cedar River. The park is also a popular spot for birdwatching, with a variety of species found in the area.
Interesting facts about Elma Park include its historical significance as a site of Native American settlements and as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The park is also home to several rare plant and animal species, including the eastern timber rattlesnake and the yellow lady's slipper orchid.
The best time of year to visit Elma Park is during the spring and summer months when the weather is mild, and the park is alive with blooming wildflowers and singing birds. However, the park is open year-round, and visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months.
Overall, Elma Park is a beautiful and historic destination that offers a range of outdoor activities and attractions. Whether you're looking to relax in nature or explore the area's rich history and culture, Elma Park is definitely worth a visit.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Area Campgrounds
| Location | Reservations | Toilets |
|---|---|---|
Haus County Park
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Lake Hendricks Park Campground
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Colwell County Park Camping
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Lylahs Marsh County Park
Goodale Park
Roman Park
McBride Park
Haus Park