Geode State Park
Rate this placeNearby: Welter County Park Longmeadow Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Geode State Park, located in southeastern Iowa, is a beautiful natural area with a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors.
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Summary
The park is known for its unique geodes, which can be found throughout the area.
One of the main reasons to visit Geode State Park is for geode hunting. Visitors can search for geodes in the park's creek beds and can keep any that they find. Additionally, the park offers camping, fishing, hiking, and picnicking opportunities.
One of the specific points of interest in the park is the Geode Interpretive Trail, which is a one-mile loop that provides information on the geology of the area. The park also has a beach and boat ramp on Lake Geode, which is a popular spot for fishing and boating.
Interesting facts about the area include that the park was founded in 1935 and is named after the geodes found in the park. Geodes are hollow, spherical rocks that are filled with crystals. The park's geodes are believed to be over 300 million years old.
The best time of year to visit Geode State Park is during the summer months when the weather is warm enough for swimming and other outdoor activities. However, geode hunting can be done year-round as long as the creek beds are not frozen.
Overall, Geode State Park is a unique and beautiful natural area with plenty of recreational opportunities for visitors.
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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 |
|---|---|---|
Geode State Park
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Geode State Park Campground
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Grays Landing
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Stephenson Park
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Upper Augusta Skunk River Access
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Welter Recreation Park
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