It is owned by the state and managed by the Des Moines County Conservation Board. The preserve is a 200 acre area just outside of Burlington, Iowa. Features include an extensive trail system through mature woodlands, prairies remnants and the limestone bluffs along Flint Creek. Three caves are also located within the preserve. Hiking and caving are perhaps the most popular activities here.
Visitors are welcome to explore the caves on their own.
The limestone bluffs in which the cave is located is a favorite place among geologists. The rock is composed mainly of crinoid shells, a sea animal from the Mississippian Period 300 million years ago. The bluffs are also homeplace of the internationally-known Starr's Cave Rock Formation, a unique oolite limestone first discovered here. The lane to the preserve is an excellent location for watching migrating warblers. The Nature Center is run by two county naturalists.