Preparation Canyon State Park, State park in Monona County, United States.
Preparation Canyon State Park covers 344 acres with dense woodlands and creek valleys tucked within the Loess Hills region. The land is bordered by steep ridges and crisscrossed by trails that wind through forest and alongside water features.
Preparation settlement was founded in 1853 by Charles B. Thompson and followers of the Mormon faith preparing for their westward trek. The community gradually emptied as residents moved on, abandoning the site by the early 1900s.
The name reflects how settlers prepared for their westward journey from this location. Today visitors can see foundation stones of former buildings and old burial grounds scattered among the trees, connecting them to the people who once lived here.
The park has ten campsites equipped with fire rings and picnic tables accessible from the southeast parking area via hiking trails. Most trails suit hikers of various abilities, though some sections feature steeper terrain that requires more effort.
The park sits on loess soil, a fine sediment that creates steep ridges with distinctive erosion patterns rarely seen elsewhere. This geological foundation gives the landscape its dramatic ridgelines on the northern, southern, and western edges.
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