Chisoku at Big Hollow Recreation Area

Today, we are heading northwest to continue our exploration of the Midwest. Alas, we have decided to pass on “the Sperry house” for now. If it stays on the market, and we don’t find something better, we might return to it. But for now, we will press on in search of something that doesn’t require as much work. We enjoyed our time in Sperry, IA, which is also home to the Big Hollow Recreation Area, where we’ve been camping all week.

I would camp there again for sure. It was only $30/night for a full RV hookup, which is a pretty good deal these days. The camp host was extremely friendly and helpful, and the park has dozens of grassy trails for walking with the dogs. Plus, we lucked out by getting a campsite with a large grassy field next to it, so the dogs could run around off leash some of the time. By the end of the week, the other campsites around us were filling up for Memorial Day weekend, but we had no one next to us for most of the week.

When we decided to try camping there, it was a bit confusing because they have a first-come-first-served policy for reserving some of the sites. So, we couldn’t book online and be sure we would get a site. However, when we talked to the camp host, she helped us figure out which sites were open and directed us to the nice one we had. Dottie absolutely loved this site. She enjoyed rolling in the grass, chasing bunnies, and playing fetch in the lush field. It was like heaven for her. Lizzie enjoyed all the long walks.

Big Hollow has a lot to offer. It spans 798 acres and features a large no-wake lake, a boat ramp, kayak launch, fishing jetties, and a beach. I might have gone swimming, but the heavy green algae made the lake less appealing. It was funny to watch the dogs think the algae-covered surface was solid and try to walk on it before realizing they would fall straight into the water. The park also has some interesting features that I haven’t seen at other parks, including an observatory (run the Southeastern Iowa Astronomy Club), a shooting range (for which you must be certified and have a permit), and an RC Airplane field (run by a local RC plane club). It also has an equestrian center and horseback riding. Pretty cool! I believe they have a place for archery as well, but I never saw it as I hiked around.

I’m including several more pictures from our stay below. You can also check out this video I made with excerpts from a 6-mile hike I did with Lizzie and Dottie around the perimeter of the park. We will continue to explore the Midwest now, and if we see anything interesting, I’ll be sure to post about it here. We hope everyone has a good Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to take a moment and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country.