Frequently Asked Questions

What can guests use to grill at the cabins?

The Department of Natural Resources will have in place by July 2, 2009 waist-high barbeque grills at all 28 cabins. You can use charcoal or wood for these grills and they have a grilling surface that can be lifted out of the way to start the fire.

Guests like to sit outside around a campfire. Are they going to be able to do that at the cabin?

The Department will install by July 2, 2009, 10 fire rings around those cabins where we can place them 25 feet away. 10 additional cabins will have cast iron wood burning outdoor fireplaces that will be ordered by Central Group Companies as part of their Cabin FF&E budget. 8 cabins will only have a grill. Central Group and the Department will try to distribute these options in each of the cabin loops. We are only starting with 10 outdoor fireplaces in order to see how they hold up to multiple uses.

Why do we have some cabins with fire rings and some with fireplaces?

In May, the Department of Public Safety conducted the final inspection of the cabins in order for the Department to receive its occupancy permit. The Department was notified of an Iowa Code rule that mandates that fire rings/pits have to be located at least 25 feet away from a structure. We have many cabins where we can’t meet this requirement due to many factors (cabin next door too close, land falls away, etc…). That is why we have to go with the fireplace option at those cabins. Outdoor fireplaces that have a lid and mesh sides (spark arrestors) are allowed at least 15 feet away from a structure. Grills can be placed 10 feet away from a structure.

Please note: There is currently a federal firewood transport quarantine established by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent the spread of emerald ash borer (EAB). it is in direct violation of the USDA APHIS quarantine for you to bring firewood from quarantined states into un-infested areas like Iowa. Do not bring firewood from your state into Iowa. 4. If a fire gets out of control in the outdoor fire pit or fireplace how do the guests put it out?

First someone should go into the cabin and call 911 while another guest takes the fire extinguisher from the cabin to try to put the fire out.

Is the landscaping around the resort completed?

The Department staff, led by Angela Corio (landscape architect with the Department) and Mike Godby (park manager) have been working hard in between the rains to complete the landscape plantings around the resort. Plantings for this spring should be completed by the end of June 26, 2009. There could be additional plantings in the future, but none to this extent. There will continue to be some seeding of native grasses and “low grow, no mow” grasses around the resort as construction of the trails and the back hardscape (sidewalks, patio) are completed.

The grass in the RV campground and around the cabins is very long, why haven’t we mowed it yet?

The “grass” that you are seeing is actually oats and it is a temporary cover crop seed that we mixed in with the permanent grass seed. This cover crop germinates quickly and helps us with further erosion problems until the permanent seed comes in. We are looking into whether or not we can mow this cover crop without killing the plant. If this cover can be mowed it will be. Otherwise we will mow once the permanent seed is thick enough to take over from the cover crop.

What kind of grass seed was planted at HCRSP?

All of the ditches and open areas have been seeded with Iowa native prairie grasses. This grass seed was harvested off of other state of Iowa DNR properties and was delivered by the IDNR Wildlife Bureau Prairie Seed Harvest Team. They also supplied many of the flower plugs you see at the front of the Lodge planted by the DNR staff. Around the cabins and in a 20-feet buffer around the lodge is planted a “low grow no mow” mix. You can see it starting to sprout by the front doors of the lodge. This grass is different from typical lawn seed as it doesn’t need to be mowed, or very infrequently. This fits into the mission of the Department and the LEED (green/environmental) principles that this facility was constructed under.

When will the trails be completed at the resort?

Due to the rain that we’ve been having this spring it has been difficult for the construction company to complete the trail system. Trails are laid out for the remainder of the property and if we can get a stretch of good weather, you will see a lot of construction happening. At this rate all remaining trails, including those behind the Lodge will be completed in the July/August timeframe. Until then, we have a woodchip path down to the dock system so that people can still utilize the boat rental and fishing dock. This path, as all of the trail system, will be handicap accessible upon completion. If guests are interested in additional trail opportunities, it would be great to direct them to Honey State Park.

When will the fire pit on the backside of the Lodge be completed?

The contractor should be placing the boulders around the stairs and the fire pit the week of June 15^th. The fire pit should be operational by June 26, 2009. All other construction on the hardscape should also be completed by this time. Only the trail along the back side of the lodge and the marina will be yet to be completed.

When will the boat ramp be completed?

The high waters we are experiencing at Rathbun Lake are keeping us from completing the boat ramp. The normal lake level is 904 feet above sea level. Currently, the lake level is approximately six feet above normal pool or 910 feet above sea level. We have to wait for the waters to recede before construction can resume

When will the beach be completed?

The same high water levels that are keeping us from completing the boat ramp are keeping us from construction of the beach. We need levels to return to 905 – 904 or lower for us to start the beach. Elements of it won’t be completed until the lake draws down this fall. If guests are interested in a beach experience, it would be great to direct them to other Army Corp. beaches around the lake.

When will the boat dock be completed?

There was a meeting the week of June 15, 2009 to discuss issues concerning the marina. There will be contractors on site starting June 19^th to repair ice damage incurred last winter. We will have final placement of the docks in July and will hopefully coincide with the completion of the trail to it, weather permitting.

When will the directional signage on the property be installed?

Department staff is working hard to try to complete the landscape plantings and then move to the installation of the waist high grills. Upon this completion, they will then move toward installation of directional signage and then the installation of interpretive signs that will be located on the paved and granular surface trails. At this time, an exact date is not known.

When will the golf directional signage be installed?

The Department is working with Central Group Companies to identify which signage is needed and options with a sign fabricator to develop the product so that it can be installed. At this time, an exact date is not known.

When will the playground be installed?

Since the completion of the paving of the day-use area, the contractor for playground installation has been notified and will be on property in the next two weeks. Later this summer a bathroom will also be installed in this area adjacent to the playground.

When will the activity building be constructed?

The Department is planning to go out for bids on this construction late this summer for a fall construction.