Cedar

Cedar Valley Park is a 228 acre multi-use park with campground, trails, playgrounds, quarry pits for fishing, and Cedar River access.

This park is the site of the former Bealer Quarry, also known as Cedar Valley Quarry.  The limestone deposits were discovered in the 1880s and provided limestone blocks for many bridges in Eastern Iowa.   The quarries also operated lime kilns operated until the early 1900s when increasing use of steel and cement lowered the demand for limestone.  Remnants of the lime kiln and explosive storage building are the only building remains.  After the quarry ceased operation, the two 90' deep pits filled with water.  The property was later owned by the Iowa Land and Building Company who gifted it to the Cedar County Conservation Board.  Today they offer a peaceful place to fish and find respite in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the quarry and railroad operations over 130 years ago.  

Location

From Tipton, go 8 miles west on Cedar Valley Road (County Road F36) to Garfield Ave and then turn left on 255th Street.  The park entrance is 4 miles north of I80 (Exit 259) on Garfield Avenue.  Turn right on 255th Street into the park. 

The park is split with an upper area with a shelter and primitive camping and a lower area with both electric/water and primitive campgrounds and shelters.

Cedar Valley Park Map

Features

• Three shelters available on a first come first served basis or by reservation.  Call the CCCB staff for reservations
• The main campground has 17 gravel pad sites with 50A/30A electric, 15 of which have water hookups
• The little campground area has 8 grass sites with 30A electric only
• Each campground area has a vault toilet nearby
• Sites are not reservable and are first come-first serve
• Quarry pits for fishing (swimming and boating is not allowed)
• Hiking trails
• Access to the Cedar River with a paved boat ramp
• Primitive camping areas with vault toilet or portable toilet nearby
• Listed as an eBird hotspot!

Operating Hours & Seasons

Closures