Thursday, June 24, 2010

Pioneer Ridge nature area and campground 10.6.23

This is Pioneer Ridge just North of Bloomfield, Iowa.  This wildlife area is built specifically with horses in mind.  There are several hitching posts along the trails, a place to park horse trailers, and places to overnight your horses in outdoor stalls.  It is run by a ranger who is very horse friendly as well. 

There is one large pond between the hay barn and the main building.  There are lots of exhibits and live animals in the main building, but we didn't get to see it as it was closed by the time we got there.  There are cabin rentals and camping.  The cabins are new and very nice.  There was a brochure we picked up.  I'll try to scan that later and get it up as well.


This is the Hay Barn shelter at Pioneer Ridge.  It is chock full of picnic tables and there are electrical outlets there as well.






This is a view from next to the Hay Barn shelter





This is the small pond and fountain by the main building


This is the main lilly pond in back of the main building. Notice the benches scattered around the outer banks.



The other side of the lilly pond. More benches and to the left you can see the dock jutting out into the middle of the pond.  To the left, out of sight is a built-in terraced sitting area and a bird viewing blind.



View of the pond from up the hill.  Shows some of the wildflower beds next to the main building.



View from the deck of the main building.  Wildflower beds and Arbor.



This is the dock and a bit of the seating area.



The seating area.  It is small, but neatly tucked away into the hillside.



View of the main building.  You can see the deck and the basement area.


Another pond view.



Another pond view.



The basement and building were closed, so we peered into the windows and took photos so we'd have an idea what it actually looked like.  The pond in the front is a fountain.  The glass cases have exhibits in them.  There is a full kitchen to the left.  There is a stair next to the glass just to my left.



The stair is just behind the wood to the left.  The kitchen is in the back to the left.



View from the far left thru one of the cases.

 
View from far left includes the staircase



Beyond the staircase into the kitchen.



Another view of the arbor



The two brand new cabins.



The larger of the two cabins.

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