FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

How does this work? It's easy! Head to your local Winneshiek County library or a Winneshiek County Conservation event to pick up your free materials. Your guidebook will have information on the featured Driftless Safari sites, which you can visit in any order and at any time through the summer. Then, have fun exploring the treasures of Winneshiek County!

Who can go on Safari? ANYONE. Yep, we mean anyone! It doesn’t matter if you're young or old, from Winneshiek County or not. As long as you love to explore and want to know more about the treasures of Winneshiek County, you're more than welcome to join in! 

Where are the pick-up locations? The materials are distributed through the public libraries in Winneshiek County, and will be available at the Decorah Visitor Center. When you get there, you'll need to fill out a paper registration form, or complete the online registration form. The library addresses are:

• Calmar Public Library - 101 S Washington Street 

• Decorah Public Library - 202 Winnebago Street 

• Decorah Visitor Center - 507 West Water Street

• Fort Atkinson Public Library - 302 3rd Street NW 

• Ossian Public Library - 123 West Main Street 

• Spillville Public Library - 201 Oak Street 

You may also pick-up your free materials at a Winneshiek County Conservation event such as the Earth Day Festival in April, Winneshiek County Fair Booth in July, or other public outreach events.

Can we visit the sites from previous years? Of course! All Driftless Safari sites are places that you can visit any time! Go to the Maps page to find the locations from previous Safaris. The posts won't be there any more, but you can still have plenty of adventures!

Safari History

During the summer of 2011, the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative and other Winneshiek County organizations joined together to host Driftless Safari, a county-wide treasure hunt lasting from Memorial Day to Labor Day that created opportunities for families to play outside together. Based on a similar program developed in Lincoln, Nebraska, Driftless Safari is designed to get families and groups out of the house and exploring the natural, cultural, and historical treasures of Winneshiek County. Driftless Safari has continued since then under the coordination of Winneshiek County Conservation and with the help of generous partners and sponsors. 

The goal of the Driftless Safari program is threefold:

• to help residents of and visitors to Winneshiek County engage in healthful physical activity.

• to increase awareness of and connectedness to the natural, historical, and cultural environments of Winneshiek County.

• to foster a sense of community engagement and environmental stewardship in participants. 

With Gratitude To

Driftless Safari has been made possible over the years thanks to the vision, encouragement, and support of many:

• The partners and sponsors over the many years of Safari.

• The public libraries of Winneshiek County for being the face of Driftless Safari. 

• AJ Perling of snowball creative services, Inc. 

• Heidi Skildum for recognizing the value of the Safari program and working to bring it to Winneshiek County and Northeast Iowa. 

• The original Safari based in Lincoln, Nebraska, for inspiring us with their innovative program. 

• The families, adults, and children of Winneshiek County who make Safari a real adventure to be involved in! We couldn't do it without your enthusiastic participation.