Black Hawk State Park

Also published as "The New Iowan," The Chronicle, 9-3-2009


I have camped at Black Hawk State Park on two occasions. Although I did not plan either stay, each one occurred at the time of a major change in my life. For this reason I feel a close connection to Black Hawk Lake and campground.

Last spring, immediately after an unexpected April snow, I arrived in Iowa on a trip from my home in California. My husband, puppy, and I had driven through the Rocky Mountains with our little camper trailer in tow. I had selected a camping location prior to beginning the journey, but when I called the site I was surprised to learn that with the snow it was not yet open for the season. The park ranger suggested I call Black Hawk and that is what I did.

The man who answered the phone seemed to be caught off guard when I called to ask for a “reservation.” In retrospect, I had a very Californian mindset to assume anyone would be camping in early April. I was told that the campground was not ready yet and we would not have RV hookups, but we could stay. We arrived at the deserted campground and selected our spot. There was snow on the trees and a breeze across the water. After putting on my coat, I hopped out of the car with my puppy on his leash and watched him have the time of his life jumping in piles of leaves. We had journeyed to Iowa to meet several potential employers, as I had phone interviews in January. The beauty of Black Hawk State Park became special to me as I considered a life-changing out of state move. I thought through my options carefully each morning while walking my dog around the peaceful campground.

At the beginning of July we moved to Iowa. As is often the case in the world of real estate, escrow did not go exactly as planned and the timeline was repeatedly extended. After a few days of camping on our future property, we decided to take a mini-vacation to Black Hawk State Park where we could now use the RV hookups and enjoy the summer weather. I had made the move out of state; though I was not yet in my new home, I was able to return to the spot that allowed me clear thinking in a time of uncertainty a few months before. This time instead of snow we experienced thunderstorms so severe that the park employees came around to warn us. I stayed inside the camper for countless hours during those few days, experiencing my first taste of Iowa weather with my eyes wide and the rain and wind pounding on the camper walls. Once again, not many campers were around as the lightning cracked on the water.

Today, the lake is a place that I can always go to think or relax and remember this transition time in my life. I wonder what the weather will bring on the next camping trip.


Copyright Rachel Burns 2009