Preparation Canyon State Park Ridge Trail

This isn’t your typical Iowa farmland—Preparation Canyon drops 200 feet through sandstone bluffs that the Mormon pioneers called “the gates of hell” when they tried hauling wagons through in 1853. The old wagon road, now Forest Service Road 12, follows Preparation Creek through narrows so tight that spring floods regularly wash out the wooden bridges. Rock ledges jut into the creek bed at Devil’s Backbone, forcing drivers to pick lines between boulders the size of refrigerators while dodging low-hanging sycamore branches.

Moderate difficulty requiring 4WD and skid plates—those creek crossings will find your lowest points fast. Avoid during spring snowmelt when the creek runs bank-full and angry. No permits, but gates close November through March for wildlife protection. Primitive camping allowed at the old CCC camp ruins if you can find a flat spot. What makes this special is experiencing Iowa’s most rugged terrain where Mormon handcart companies literally carved steps into the canyon walls.