Iowa campers are now enjoying the great outdoors more than two months after a deadly EF-4 tornado damaged numerous trees at Pammel State Park.
As per a report, Pammel State Park’s campground is filled with campers for Memorial Day weekend, with campers enjoying the peace of the outdoors and the social aspect of being with loved ones.
“My wife and I, our daughter, and other folks are having a great time,” said camper Dave Anderson. “It’s great to get away after all we’ve been through the past couple of years. It’s been fantastic.”
It took a while until the park could regain camping standards. Many standing trees still bear marks from the severe weather, but volunteers cleaned up the piles of tree debris left by the tornado during the days following the storm.
One of the volunteers, Madison County resident Kurt Greenwood, also decided to camp at Pammel State Park. Greenwood said it’s a relief to see the park become a place of joy again.
“It feels good to see everybody here,” Greenwood said. “It was in pretty bad shape around. With all of the clean-up that everybody made, it’s great to see people enjoy it.”
As per Madison County Parks & Conservation Center, Pammel Park was originally one of the first State Parks in Iowa (dedicated in 1928). The Madison County Conservation Board has been managing it since 1989.
The park is noted for its natural woodland beauty, highlighted by its signature limestone ridge known as the “backbone.” It is home to numerous botanical treasurers, including a lush diversity of woodland vegetation from wildflowers and native plants to the best quality Walnut stands in central Iowa. Some of the oldest recorded Oak trees anywhere in the State grow from the craggy surfaces of the “backbone.”
For reservations, click here.
This story originally appeared on WHO 13. Featured image from Madison County Parks & Conservation Center
