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Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve

Visitors to Elizabeth Lake will experience a landscape and lake formed over 10,000 years ago by glaciers moving across the region.

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About Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve

Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archeological Site is a large, diverse wetland community composed of every different stage of high-quality wetland, including: graminoid fens, calcareous floating mats, graminoid bogs, marshes, low gradient creek, pond, lake, sedge meadow, wet prairie and dry Mesic savanna. Because of its wide range of habitats, Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve Varga Archaeological Site has 29 species of native fish, at least 200 species of plant life, 55 species of birds, 15-20 butterfly species, and 20 state threatened and endangered species including Iowa darters, pugnose shiners, ospreys and black terns.

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