Grab your gear. Pammel State Park down in Madison County isn't your typical patch of Iowa grass with a few picnic tables. Not even close. First off, you get to drive your car straight through the Middle River at the ford, which sounds like a terrible idea until you realize the concrete bottom keeps your tires rolling safely through the current. Pretty cool, right Then theres the Harmon Tunnel, a spooky concrete cut right through a sheer limestone ridge. William Harmon actually hand-dug the original hole back in 1858 to power a mill, making it Iowa's only highway tunnel today.

Hikers hit the Backbone Trail for views of ancient bur oaks that sprouted before the Revolutionary War. We are talking 400-year-old trees. Because the Middle River loops around for miles before squeezing past a tiny 90-foot ridge, paddlers can float for three hours and land right back near their parked cars. No shuttle needed. Throw in dark night skies for star-gazing and a couple of heated yurts if you hate pitching tents, and your weekend is set. Just watch for mud after a heavy rain.