The George Wyth Memorial State Park is a
state park of
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. The park was dedicated in 1940 as "Josh Higgins Parkway", named for a popular radio character of the day. In 1956, it was renamed George Wyth Memorial State Park after a well-known Cedar Falls businessman and conservationist.
The park is located near
Waterloo and
Cedar Falls. Its large expanse of woodland is abundant with many varieties of wildlife. Bird-watchers have observed more than 200 different species and white-tailed deer can be seen year-round. The park has been designated as a National Urban Wildlife Sanctuary.
Camping
The campground has 69 camping units with modern showers, rest rooms and a trailer dump station. Advance campsite reservations can be booked through the park reservation system. Half of the campsites are available for self-registration on a first-come, first-served basis, while the remainder require reservations.
Trails
George Wyth has of paved multi-purpose trails created for biking,
in-line skating
Inline skating is a multi-disciplinary sport and can refer to a number of activities practiced using inline skates. Inline skates typically have two to five polyurethane wheels depending on the style of practice, arranged in a single line by a ...
and walking. These trails are linked to a trail network within the cities of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. George Wyth also has of grass hiking trails. In winter, sports such as cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling are also popular.
The Lake-to-Lake State Park Bike Route is a route connecting
Pine Lake and George Wyth Memorial State Parks. This route primarily utilizes county highways, and established bike routes and paths once inside Cedar Falls/Waterloo.
Lake
The park is unique in that it has several water areas: Brinker Lake (120 acres, open for power boating), George Wyth Lake (75 acres, no wake lake with handicap accessible fishing pier and fishing jetties), Fisher Lake (40 acre natural lake), Alice Wyth Lake (60 acres, electric motors only) and the
Cedar River. Sailboating and windsurfing are also popular. George Wyth beach is a popular swimming spot in the community. The lakes and river provides anglers a variety of fish. Boat ramps are available on the river and lakes.
References
External links
George Wyth Memorial State Park
{{authority control
State parks of Iowa
Protected areas established in 1940
Protected areas of Black Hawk County, Iowa