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Stephens State Forest
Trip Idea Categories: Camping
Stephens State Forest -- Chariton, Iowa
Driving Time: 3 hr
Amount of Trails: 6.2 miles
Ideal Length of Time: Short Weekend
Stephens State Forest is the largest in Iowa, with seven separate units totaling 14,112 acres. The Woodburn Unit is designated as the backpacking unit and contains 2,011 acres of rolling hills dissected by Sand and Blubird Creeks. A gravel road divides the unit into two parts, allowing hikers to follow the two 2.5 mile loop trails in a figure-eight fashion to maximize trail length. There are five "backcountry" campsites in the unit, but because none is more than two miles from the parking area, you may want to walk the loop several times before calling it a day and pitching your tent.
(Information from Hiking Iowa by Elizabeth Corcoran Hill and http://www.iowadnr.gov)