Bear Creek Project History and ICC Grant Support
Imagine a deep and verdant valley where a beautiful coldwater stream flows within the hills of northeast Iowa and is surrounded by a countless collection of natural resources, a very special place where you and your family and friends can explore and enjoy. This property is on the northwest edge of Allamakee County and is home to an incredible list of unique natural resources, including a section of Bear Creek, a spring-fed, coldwater stream, which begins just below the confluence of North and South Bear Creeks in nearby Winneshiek
County.
Here is the story of how this rare opportunity became a reality when people who care deeply about protecting and conserving our natural resources came together as partners so that all the citizens of Iowa and visitors to this area of our state will be able to access and experience these beautiful natural resources.
Over 35 years ago, a group of friends from the Des Moines area came together collectively as Sunrise Over Bear LLC to purchase a house in the historic village of Quandahl plus 21 acres across the road with access to Bear Creek in Allamakee County.
Today, thanks to this group of conservation minded friends, this acreage is home to an incredible list of beautiful natural resources, including over a third of a mile of Bear Creek, which is formed by the nearby upstream confluence of North and South Bear Creeks, two of Iowa’s most popular trout streams.
These two streams and numerous coldwater springs, which also flow into Bear Creek from the steep limestone bluffs on the south side of the property, all help sustain a healthy population of wild brown trout and rainbow trout throughout the stream.
The important ecosystem of Bear Creek also includes a wide variety of aquatic insects and amphibians as well as many species of nesting birds from warblers to bald eagles, white tail deer and numerous other mammals. The deep-rooted prairie plants and grasses which border the north-side of the stream on this property serve as a protective buffer against stream-side erosion and provide a home for many species of birds and pollinators, including the recently confirmed sighting of the rare Rusty Patched Bumble Bees.
This unique property is also located directly adjacent to the North Bear Creek Wildlife Management Area, which is owned by the state of Iowa and managed by the Iowa DNR. Throughout the years, this group of conservation-minded friends, (which included the late Ed Power, who served many years on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation), invested in habitat improvements along Bear Creek, including planting and maintaining a prairie on the 21 acres adjacent to the north side of the stream.
In 2024, the remaining members of the Sunrise Over Bear LLC approached the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to determine their interest in purchasing this beautiful property so that others will be able to enjoy the trout fishing access and the unique geology and plant life of this special place. A sale agreement between the owners and INHF soon followed.
On March 22nd of 2025, the ICC Board of Directors responded quickly to INHF’s request for support and approved a grant of $5,000 to assist with this project. In addition to support from ICC, INHF received generous contributions from 7 Trout Unlimited Chapters in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska, the Trout Unlimited Iowa Council, the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association (HFFA), Winneshiek County Pheasants Forever, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and 38 individuals. Within two months, the project funding goal of $100,000 was met. All contributions made to the project will go towards the permanent protection of the 21 acres south of the road and approximately 1/3 of a mile of Bear Creek. The anticipated timeline is for the property to open to the public in 2026.
This project demonstrates what can be accomplished through the power of partnerships between non-profit groups like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, willing landowners, and the many groups and individuals they partnered with to provide permanent public access to such an incredible property in northeast Iowa. The Iowa Coldwater Conservancy (ICC) is proud to be a partner in this project.
