Reviews

S Tran

This was a stop on an all day drive to get out to see interesting geology and get in a short walk. We did the end to end walk of the Dance Hall Cave. Afterward, we did a short hike around the park to take in all the other smaller caves. No Spelunking for us this time.

Gordon Shaffer

Located in Eastern Iowa, Maquoketa Caves offer a very unique experience of hiking a trail of caves. Plenty of parking and no charge. Some caves require crawling into, but most do not. A flashlight or headlight would be helpful at times. There are 15 caves with intertwining paths to see each one. It took us about 3 hours and just 2.5 miles to visit nearly every one. Pick up a map at the Park Store once you've parked. I suggest going on to the first stairs down to middle Dancehall (l) and go underground, emerging across the street at Natural Bridge. Get across the Creek and go the opposite direction on the Woodland Tr. As it loops you will visit 5 caves.. The trail will bring you back to the parking lot & the store. Come over to the other side and descend the same set of stairs. This time go right. Trails on this side will take you all the remaining caves.

Dirk Dingo

A truly beautiful hike filled with caves to explore! There are a total of nine caves, ranging in size from massive walk-through caverns to smaller, single-person passages. Two of the largest caves let you walk straight from one entrance to another, while one of the smaller ones requires squeezing through two tight openings before you can barely stand inside—definitely an adventure! The full hike took us about three hours at a steady pace. I’d recommend bringing a flashlight for exploring, though it’s not absolutely necessary. Between the unique caves and the gorgeous trails, this park is a gem. I’ll definitely be returning to Maquoketa Caves in the future!

Pheng Moua

8-23-25 Wife wanted to visit this place after seeing videos online. From Rochester MN, it’s about 4 hour drive. We got here about 11 am and the parking lot was already full. Beautiful park. The big main attraction cave is very close by the parking lot. Easily accessible as the park is nicely maintain with stairs and pathway. We did not hike all the whole park as we did not have time. We did hike to see about 4 of the smaller caves. The hikes are easy. Some spots might be a bit steep for some people. Overall great experience. Must visit at least once. Great for kids to explore and hike around.

Krista Hart

Very cool experience. The trails are well maintained and easy to follow. There are some larger caves that are easy to explore and small ones for more adventurous explorers. We were able to explore almost the whole park within 3 hours. The trails are either raised platform or packed dirt, there is a huge amount of stairs involved. Overall worth the trip to see.

Sameer Walimbe

Excellent place for a good trek. There are many caves where you may walk inside. A few, where kids may crawl in and explore. If kids are planning on exploring the caves, be sure to bring head gear with lights, extra pair of clothes and helmet. Also bring some snacks along.

Dave R

Nice spot to hike around and experience some caves in a casual way. Great for kids. Hiking shoes are best, but athletic shoes will work. If you want to explore caves more, bring a flashlight and be prepared to crawl in dirt. Stop in the visitor center first to get a map and some insights.

Virginia VanKeulen

We went on a Friday morning. Couple of large groups of teenagers were pretty loud but not too busy other than that. Maybe kids on a spring field trip? The caves are numerous and interesting. We never made it to the visitor center due to time restraints. The spring flowers are beautiful and there were a ton of birds. Very pleasant park and worth the stop.

Kytti Worel

Enchanting. Dazzling. Breathtaking. Almost, other worldly. If you're an outdoors kind of human, this is the place. There's so much to see, experience, and explore here both above and below ground. Campsites available for those who choose to extend their stays and plenty of vast, open spaces to roam. If you're thinking of checking it out, remember that photos simply don't do it justice

Brooke Gietman

We wish we would have had more time to explore! The Caves Trail was so fun, lots to see. We went on a drizzly Sunday afternoon in March and were the only ones around. We didn't have good enough flashlights to be brave enough to walk the path underground between Upper and Lower Dancehall, so if you go, make sure to bring strong flashlights!