Visit Burlington when it’s in bloom

As the temperatures rise and landscapes start to bloom, be sure to add a road trip to Burlington, Iowa to your list. Burlington has two gems that you’ll want to visit during the spring bloom.

Snake Alley

The star attraction in Burlington, Iowa is Snake Alley. It’s a one-way brick-paved alley that descends to their downtown district. Built-in 1894, it still remains pretty much as it was originally constructed. In fact, only a few bricks have been replaced, most of the bricks are original. You’ll not only see flowers but the alley is also lined with numerous trees, including blooming crab apples and redbud trees. To get an idea of when the trees are blooming on Snake Alley, I recommend following both the Burlington Park & Rec Dept (https://www.facebook.com/BurlingtonParksDept and Visit Burlington (https://www.facebook.com/visitburlingtoniowa).

In the 1940s, it was visited by Robert Ripley, who gave the location the title of “Crookedest street in the world”. In fact, there’s a formal plaque from Ripley’s Believe it or not at the lower level of Snake Alley.

Location: Google Map Location of Snake Alley

Crapo (cray-po) Park

Crapo Park is located on the south side of Burlington, on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. It was established by local businessman Philip Crapo back in 1895.

You’ll enjoy a number of flowering trees and shrubs each spring. The city has listing of all the trees in their arboretum as well as a map.

Location: 2800 Madison Ave, Burlington, Iowa 52601

Black Hawk Springs/Cave is located just a short hike behind the replica cabin. There’s a plaque denoting this location was used by Chief Black Hawk. You’re able to explore the cave for about 100 feet. There is also a spring running out of the cave, which falls off into the Mississippi River. Here’s the location of Black Hawk Springs on Google Maps.

Bonus: Burlington Riverfront