Litter Busters Park Cleanup

Celebrate Earth Day with Pottawattamie Conservation and join our annual park cleanup event at Hitchcock Nature Center.

Did you know that Hitchcock Nature Center's Loess Hills beauty and remnant prairie systems were almost turned into a bottled water factory, and then of all things, a dump!? Thankfully local community members came together, put their feet down, and fought to protect this beautiful area. They're known as the Dump Busters!

Together, we can protect the park's special beauty and all of the plants and wildlife that call it home. Join our park cleanup event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22nd and follow in the Dump Busters' footsteps.

Please meet us at the Loess Hills Lodge to check in, receive your bag, and pick which area of the park you want to cover.

• Participants will be given a bag to collect trash in and are encouraged to bring their own if they have it.
• Volunteers will also have the opportunity to enter themselves in a random drawing for a two-night cabin stay.
• Once you're done on the trails, head back to the lodge to weigh and record your findings, take a Dump Buster selfie, and help sort any recyclables.
  • Send your selfies to pottconservation@pottcounty-ia.gov or tag Hitchcock Nature Center on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

Recommendations: bring a pair of gloves, dress for the weather, and wear tall socks and good hiking shoes. We especially appreciate anyone who is willing to venture off the beaten path, work up a sweat, and possibly battle blackberry or raspberry vines to grab litter! 

We know our visitors have the best intentions and do all they can to protect their natural areas. We appreciate anyone who is willing to help pick up litter along trails while they enjoy some quality time with mother nature!

Interesting Park History: The trail Angel's Dead End is actually named after an investor, Mike Angel, who purchased this land in the late-1980s and was set on profiting from it. Bulldozed Valley, which can be seen from the observation deck, as well as the trail Dozer Cut, was partially formed by bulldozers when Angel owned the property and was actively working to turn it into a dump.