Rivers
The Maquoketa River - North Fork
The North Fork of the Maquoketa River passing through Jones County gives one the opportunity to imagine oneself in true wilderness. Averaging 70 feet wide this shallow stream is characterized by a sandy bottom sometimes interspersed with rocks and boulders below steep bluffs and wooded shorelines.
The Maquoketa River - South Fork
The scenic Maquoketa River begins in Fayette County and passes through Delaware, Jones, and Jackson County and joins with the North Fork of the Maquoketa before entering the Mississippi River near Green Island. In Jones County, the Maquoketa flows roughly 35 miles passing through the community of Monticello before entering Jackson County near Canton. Several canoe liveries provide canoe and tube rental opportunities.
The Wapsipinicon River
The Wapsipinicon, or Wapsi, as it is locally known, is a tributary of the Mississippi River, and the longest of the area, reaching approximately 225 miles. Beginning in Mower County, Minnesota, the Wapsi enters Iowa in Mitchell County, and flows southeast through Howard, Chickasaw, Bremer, Black Hawk, Buchanan, and Linn Counties before it arrives in Jones County.
