Stone State Park

Stone State Park Mount Talbot State Preserve
Location of Stone State Park in Iowa Show map of Iowa Stone State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Iowa, United States
Coordinates	42°32′56″N 96°28′00″W / 42.54889°N 96.46667°W / 42.54889; -96.46667
Area	1,595 acres (6.45 km2)
Elevation	1,211 ft (369 m)[1]
Established	1935
Governing body	Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Website	Stone State Park

Stone State Park is a state park in Iowa, United States, located in the bluffs and ravines adjacent to the Big Sioux River. The park is located on the northwestern edge of Sioux City and consists of 1,069 acres (433 ha) in Woodbury and Plymouth Counties, and overlooks the South Dakota-Iowa border. Stone Park is near the northernmost extent of the Loess Hills, and is at the transition from clay bluffs and prairie to sedimentary rock hills and bur oak forest along the Iowa side of the Big Sioux River. A variety of prairie plants can be found on the steep slopes and ridges, including yucca, penstemon, rough blazing star, silky aster, and pasque flower. Wild turkey, white-tailed deer, coyote, and red fox are found in the park. Birdlife includes the turkey vulture, barred owl, rufous-sided (eastern) towhee, and the ovenbird. Exposed bedrock in the park is composed of lignite, shale, sandstone, and limestone, and dates to the Cretaceous period; it is rich in marine fossils. The park contains many miles of hiking and equestrian trails, and is a popular destination for day visitors, overnight campers, mountain bike enthusiasts, and picnickers.