Hurstville Interpretive Center
Discover Hurstville Interpretive Center in Maquoketa
Welcome to the headquarters of Jackson County Conservation. The Hurstville Interpretive Center offers visitors a chance to explore natural resources at their leisure. Step inside to better understand the story behind our natural and historic resources through the many exhibits. Enjoy the beauty of nature as you step outside to discover the prairie and wetland. In the restored native prairie you can search out reptiles, colorful wildflowers, and a world of insects. Visit the pollinator garden to view native plants as well as our many pollinators. Take your binoculars and see what you can find living or visiting the wetlands during the different seasons.
Features Available at Various Facilities
- A/C
- Cooking / eating utensils
- Electricity
- Handicap Accessible
- Heating
- Kitchenette
- Microwave
- Picnic Table
- Pressurized water
- Refuse cans
- Restroom
- Table with chairs
- Staff on hand to assist visitors
- Information on attractions in Jackson County
- Information on natural resources
- No entrance fee, donations welcome
- Handicap accessible
- Clean Restrooms
- Over 20 indoor and outdoor exhibits and activities for the whole family including:
- Enclosed bee hive (with live bees!)
- Live reptiles
- Dioramas of Iowa ecosystems - wetland, prairie, and woodland
- Walk through cave exhibit
- and more.....
- Natural Playscape: catch a frog or tadpole in the pond using nets and buckets provided, balance on logs and stumps, find your way through our prairie maze, build with sticks, bricks and rocks, play checkers or tic-tac-toe with colored rocks and more! Playscape is located throughout pollinator garden on the west side of the building.
- 1/2 mile hiking trail
- 15-acre restored prairie
- 18-acre wetland with boardwalk, observational deck, and bird blind
- Fishing pond
- Bird blind
- Picnic shelter
- Pollinator garden
- Frog pond
- Public programs
- Group tours
- School trips
- Community Room - available for reservation
- Solar array - producing ~100% of electricity for the Center, click here to view production
Featured Events
- Great Backyard Bird Count- Postponed February 15 - February 15, 2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- KinderNature - Geology Rocks! February 20, 2025 10:00 AM
- Beers with Benefits February 20, 2025 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Beers with Benefits February 27, 2025 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Rock Wrapping February 27, 2025 5:00 PM
- Astronomy Hike February 28 - February 28, 2025 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
- KinderNature - Turtles of Iowa March 20, 2025 10:00 AM
- Reptiles of Iowa March 22, 2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Hunter Education Field Day March 29 - March 29, 2025 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Youth Backpacking Trip June 10 - June 12, 2025 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Youth Paddling Trip July 8, 2025 8:00 AM