the lake. Lake Red Rock is located in Marion County; those
going through Knoxville should head north on Highway 14,
while those coming from Pella can head west on Highway
G28 or Highway T15.
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Indian Hills Community
College campus
The campus on Ottumwa’s north end grew out of what was
once Ottumwa Heights College and was founded in 1966.
The campus features a disc golf course; a pond with water
feature; a cabin, trails and campsites for Boy Scouts of
America; a cemetery for the nuns of Ottumwa Heights; and
plenty of community events. The school itself offers arts
and sciences courses, advanced technology and health
sciences programs. It is supplemented by campuses in
Centerville and North Campus near Ottumwa Regional
Airport. The year is comprised of four terms: fall, winter,
spring and summer. For more information, visit www.
indianhills.edu.
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Lake Wapello, Lake Red Rock
and Rathbun Lake/Honey
Creek
Head out for your next lake adventure right here in
southeast Iowa. Several options are available, each with its
own highlights:
• Lake Wapello State Park sits on 1,150 acres of wooded
hillsides and contains a 289-acre lake and shaded picnic
areas. The lake has sand beaches and the largest beach
house facility in Iowa’s state park system. While swimming
and sunbathing are allowed, no lifeguards are on duty. The
site offers fishing, canoeing, kayaking and pleasure cruising.
There is also Lake Shore Trail comprising of seven miles of
trails that takes hikers around the lake and through the
park. Family cabins are available for rental seasonally, as
are electric and nonelectric camping sites with modern
shower and restroom facilities. The park is located at 15248
Campground Road, Drakesville.
• Lake Red Rock, the largest lake in Iowa, holds more than
15,000 acres of water, and 35,000 acres of land form a
spectacular outdoor recreation area. The lake serves as a
host for fishing, boating, camping and other outdoor fun.
There are overlooks and recreation areas along the entire
length of the lake, and the site is popular for watching bald
eagles during the winter. One of the best-known features
is the “Mile Long Bridge,” which carries Highway 14 over
22 | 101 Things To Do In Southeast Iowa
• Rathbun Lake/Honey Creek Resort is Appanoose County’s
— and Iowa’s — only destination resort. The lake has 11,000
acres of water and 23,000 acres of surrounding land. The
lake is the second largest in the state and is surrounded
by seven campgrounds. Boating, sailing and fishing are all
popular lake activities, and there are several hiking, biking,
ATV and snowmobile trails. Honey Creek Resort includes
16,000 acres of park land with a hotel, rental cottages and a
golf courses. The hotel houses Buccaneer Bay indoor water
park, playgrounds and hosts a variety of events.
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Mars Hill Church and
Cemetery
Built by settlers in the 1850s, this is the oldest log church
west of the Mississippi River “still in use.” An annual potluck
dinner and service are held the second Sunday in July to
maintain this status. The church, rebuilt after a 2006 act
of arson, is on the National Register of Historic Places with
local tradition claiming it was utilized as a hiding space on
the Underground Railroad. The grounds, located at 1011
100th Ave., Bloomfield, are also home to a cemetery.
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Naval Air Station
The former administration building is currently undergoing
renovations by the Friends of the NAS Ottumwa to create
a museum that will preserve the history NAS Ottumwa and
honor the hard work and sacrifices of those stationed there.
The building is located at 14550 Terminal Ave., Ottumwa, and
more information can be found at www.nasottumwa.org.
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