Where is Hickory Hill Park?

Hickory Hill Park is located in the northeast part of Iowa City. There are 3 entrances- in the 1400 block of Bloomington Street; North Dodge Street to Conklin Lane (across from the North Dodge Hy-Vee), and from 1st Avenue (north of the First Avenue Drugtown).

How big is Hickory Hill Park?

The City of Iowa City often lists the park as around 190 acres. However, they also state that a little over 90 acres designated as parkland was purchased by the city for storm water management (these include the north fields and the area between 1st Avenue and the dam).Thus, if a major storm water problem arose in these areas, the city could restrict park usage. The remaining parts of the park (the areas around and between the Bloomington Street and Conklin Lane entrances) are dedicated as parkland. Friends of Hickory Hill Park helped get 33 of these acres dedicated as parkland in August of 2000.

What are the recreational opportunities available in the park?

People enjoy walking and hiking, birdwatching, identifying the abundant wildflowers, cross-county skiing, sledding, kite flying, picnicking, enjoying solitude in the park, and much more.

Can you ride your bike in the park?

Iowa City does not allow bike riding in Hickory Hill Park.

How can I reserve a shelter at the park?

You can reserve a shelter by calling the Parks
and Recreation Department at 356-5100.
The Parks and Recreation website for
reservations is
http://www.icgov.org/documents/publicgrounds.pdf

Who are the Friends of Hickory Hill Park?

Anyone that enjoys Hickory Hill Park can become a Friend of Hickory Hill Park. The organization, Friends of Hickory Hill Park, started in the summer of 1999 when a group of people not only adopted the park, but also committed themselves to preserving the natural beauty of the park. The group became a nonprofit in January of 2000. All members of Friends of Hickory Hill Park volunteer their time and labor to preserving the park. If you are interested in helping, please give us a call at 354-6276 or 351-8662.

Somebody told me the city might be putting in new trails in the park. Is this true?

Yes, Iowa City will be building trails starting in the fall of 2001 and finishing the project in the summer of 2002. For more information, see the Friends of Hickory Hill Park summer newsletter.

When will the 2005 Friends of Hickory Hill Park calendar be available for purchase?

The 2005 Calender will be available around mid-November.
2005 Calendar Release Party will be announced. All money from calendar sales goes towards projects to benefit the park.