Preparation Canyon State Park

Preparation Canyon State Park is a 344-acre Iowa State park that is located in Monona County, Iowa and near Moorhead City. The park was established in order to preserve a section of the Loess Hills that are located at a town called Preparation that was founded by a splinter of the Mormons led by Charles B. Thompson in 1853. The park gets its name from this town. If you want to gain easy access to the main entrance to the park, just travel five miles southwest of Moorhead off the IA 183. 

The Loess Hills are a geological formation created by wind-deposits of loose soil. The hills can be found in the westernmost part of Missouri and Iowa right along the Missouri River. Other attractions in the park include an open picnic shelter, picnic areas, 9 hike-in campsites, and hiking trails. These amenities make it possible to enjoy several recreational activities including primitive camping, hiking, and picnicking.

All of these activities can be enjoyed in the company of your dog since all dogs are allowed into the park at no extra cost. Although dogs are welcome into the park, there are several restrictions that you need to abide by in order to protect your pooch, other pets, flora, and fauna as well as other visitors to the park. Some of the main regulations that you need to remember are as follows. 

First, you need to ensure that your dog is always on a leash or confined in a secure enclosure when in the park. Your dog's leash should not be more than six feet in length. If you decide to camp in the park, you should be aware that there is a restriction to the number of pets (maximum of two pets) that you can have in a camping tent, cabin or yurt. Additionally, dogs are not allowed to run at large within the park and nor are they allowed into park buildings.