Backbone Lake

Backbone Lake: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.

Best time to visit Backbone Lake

Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

How to reach Backbone Lake — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 42.61061, -91.54712. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Backbone Lake

• Bixby State Preserve · sanctuary · Clayton · ~17 km · Must-see
• Bridge Street · fort · Clayton · ~37 km · Must-see
• Volga River State Recreation Area · sanctuary · Fayette · ~42 km · Must-see
• Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Basilica · church · Dubuque · ~47 km · Must-see
• National Farm Toy Museum · museum · Dubuque · ~49 km · Must-see
• Bussey Lake · lake · Clayton · ~52 km · Must-see
• Turkey River Mounds State Preserve · sanctuary · Clayton · ~54 km · Must-see
• First Baptist Church · church · Fayette · ~56 km · Must-see
• Nelson Dewey State Park · sanctuary · Grant · ~56 km · Must-see
• Spook Cave · cave · Clayton · ~64 km · Must-see
• Effigy Mounds National Monument · sanctuary · Clayton · ~67 km · Must-see
• Wyalusing State Park · sanctuary · Grant · ~67 km · Must-see
• Pikes Peak State Park · sanctuary · Clayton · ~68 km · Must-see
• Fort Crawford · museum · Clayton · ~73 km · Must-see
• Backbone State Park · sanctuary · Delaware · ~2 km
• Red Barn Model Railroad Museum · museum · Delaware · ~2 km
• Wolf Hill · viewpoint · Delaware · ~3 km
• Backbone Fish Hatchery (ruins) · fort · Delaware · ~4 km

See everything within a day’s drive of Backbone Lake

Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Backbone Lake

• Bussey Lake · lake · Clayton · ~52 km · Must-see
• Dam No. 11 · lake · Grant · ~93 km · Must-see
• O'Leary Lake · lake · Dubuque · ~93 km · Must-see
• Frentress Lake · lake · Dubuque · ~98 km · Must-see
• Lake Winneshiek · lake · Allamakee · ~105 km · Must-see
• Lake Macbride Dam · lake · Johnson · ~114 km · Must-see
• Lansing Big Lake · lake · Allamakee · ~115 km · Must-see
• Coralville Lake · lake · Johnson · ~116 km · Must-see
• Dam No. 12 · lake · Jo Daviess · ~125 km · Must-see
• Lake Galena · lake · Jackson · ~127 km · Must-see

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Iowa

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