Things to Do in the Area
Northeast Iowa offers a wide variety of things to do and places to see. Below is listed a few places that are popular tourist destinations in Decorah, IA.
Upper Dam
The Upper Dam has a long history behind it. Beautiful site to see and explore. Swimming and public fishing is available at the site just be cautious of rushing waters and undertow.
Decorah Fish Hatchery
Get up close to see how trout—nearly 130,000 of them every year—are raised in 24 cement raceways, from young fingerlings only a few inches long to huge brooders that offer anglers a “once-in-a-lifetime” catch. The trout raised in Decorah are stocked in streams across Northeast Iowa and even in several urban lakes in Iowa. Visit the Iowa DNR website for the most recent information on when and where streams are stocked across northeast Iowa. Detailed trout fishing guides are available for Winneshiek and Allamakee counties.
Siewers Springs provides the cold water necessary for rearing trout, and a stunning photo backdrop perfect for selfies. The hatchery grounds have streamside fishing, picnic areas, walking paths through prairie plantings, a modern restroom and shelter, and a picturesque limestone office and residence built in the 1930s as a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Ice Cave
The Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve contains one of the largest “ice caves” in the Midwest. Ice forms inside the cave when cold winter air enters the cave and drops the temperature of the surrounding rock walls. When spring thaws occur, water seeps into the cave, freezing upon contact with the icy walls. The ice reaches its maximum thickness in June, then slowly melts over the summer.
You don’t have to go into the cave to feel the ice-chilled air that leaks out even on the hottest summer days. For those that do wish to enter, know that the cave can be slippery, there could be overhead falling rock, and the cave is “enter at your own risk” with no supervision. Visits in the wintertime are not recommended. Minor children must be accompanied by an adult, and a good flashlight is recommended. Respect barriers. The City of Decorah is not responsible for accidents or injuries.
Ice Cave is a state preserve, so nothing should be collected or taken from the area and no markings or other damage left.
Dunning Springs
This picturesque 200-foot waterfall is spring-fed, meaning the water is almost always right around 45° Fahrenheit and the waterfall runs year-round. A unique stone arch bridge and a wooden staircase take you to the top of the spring, where you can look down to where the water runs right out of the rocks and down the waterfall.
The park, located just minutes from downtown Decorah, also serves as one of the trailheads for a large hiking and mountain biking system. If you’re up for a steep climb, head up the trail for a spectacular view of Decorah.
Phelps Park
Phelps Park is Decorah’s oldest park, established in 1911; check out the informational panels in the park to see what the park was like back then. It offers eight picnic shelters, three playground areas, restrooms, drinking fountains, and grills. Phelps Park features a great deal of stonework—walls, pillars, and even a fountain—built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Across the street from the main parking area, you can access a trail that stretches along the bluff side, giving great views of the Upper Iowa River and Decorah Community Prairie, eventually dropping down to access the Trout Run Trail near Dug Road and Decorah’s Pulpit Rock Campground.
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, with over 33,000 artifacts, 12 historic buildings, and a library and archives. This treasure showcases one of the most extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world and highlights the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts. Some of its buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Vesterheim’s exhibitions explore the diversity of American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience, and its classes welcome students to participate in the continual evolution of traditional folk art as it meets new influences. Vesterheim also offers educational events, publications, and lectures related to its mission.
Porter House Museum
Located in the former Decorah home of Adelbert Field Porter (1879 – 1968) and Grace Young Porter (1880 – 1964), the Porter House Museum is an inspiring exploration of history, nature, and art.
“Bert” (as he was more commonly called) was a gentleman naturalist, collector, and photographer who traveled throughout the world in pursuit of butterflies, rocks, and other curiosities. A man of artistic sensibilities, Bert used his nature collections to create unique “nature art,” for which he became well known during his lifetime. ​
At the museum, visitors experience the historic travels, art, and collecting of this naturalist and his wife against the backdrop of Victorian elegance that was their home and heritage.
