Site Details

Babcock Access - Johnson County

GPS Coordinates: 41.7839530715082, -91.7002201080322

Management: State

Description: Boat ramp into Hawkeye WMA, but the fields on the way in and the trees can be good. Access and birding very much effected by water levels of the Coraville Reservoir

Habitat: Beyond a small wooded area at the turn off from Swan Lake Rd. The habitat is row crop, sheetwater or mudflat depending on the water levels in the reservoir. Either of those can be good for shorebirds or waterfowl. The old oxbow, Babcock Lake, is a narrow channel that sometimes contains interesting birds. The old parking lot at end of the old road has a good view of the flats, E towards Sand Point.

Directions: On the upper Coralville Reservoir, Hawkeye W.A., northwest Johnson Co. A few miles north of I-80, take the North Liberty/F-28 exit off I-380. Go west on F-28 about 3.5 miles to Greencastle Ave. Take Greencastle 1.5 miles north to Swan Lake Rd., just after a pond on your right. Turn right (east) on Swan Lake, a B-level road here, 0.8 mile to the Babcock entrance road on your left. Follow this to its end at a small parking area. Where the road turns left to the parking lot and boat ramp, an old road goes NE from this left turn and may be walked sometimes. This can also be accessed from Swan Lake, going W. The road is often in better shape coming from the E.

Public Hunting Area Search for area boundary information on the DNR interactive atlas

Birding Guide: Site Guide for Babcock Access