Editing Dubuque County, Iowa (section)

==Geography==

===Geographic features===
The county borders on [[Illinois]] and [[Wisconsin]], and is bounded on the northeast by the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name="ac">{{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Dubuque}}</ref> According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|617|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|608|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|8.3|sqmi}} (1.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The county is drained by north and south forks of the [[Maquoketa River]].<ref name="ac"/>

The county seat is [[Dubuque, Iowa|Dubuque]], [[Iowa]], which is located along the Mississippi River in the east-central portion of the county. Eastern Dubuque County is markedly different from the western portion in that its topography is very uneven. The city of Dubuque and surrounding areas adjacent to the Mississippi River have many steep hills, bluffs, and ravines. Also, the eastern portion is more heavily wooded than the west, which is mostly rolling farmland.

Dubuque County is widely known for its impressive bluffs along the Mississippi River, which run along the entire length of the county's riverbanks. These form part of Iowa's [[Coulee Region]], otherwise known as the Driftless Area. During the last ice age, much of the Mississippi Valley near Dubuque County was bypassed by glacial flows, which flattened the surrounding land in eastern Illinois, Wisconsin, and western Iowa, leaving the Driftless Area unusually rugged.

===Major parks===
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources administers 3 park and preserve areas in the county:
*[[Little Maquoketa River Mounds State Preserve]]
*Mines of Spain State Recreation Area/E. B. Lyons Nature Center
*White Pine Hollow State Forest
The Dubuque County Conservation Board administers 11 park and recreation areas in the county:
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*Bankston Park
*Fillmore Recreation Area & Fairways
*Finley's Landing Park
*Heritage Trail & Pond
*Interstate Power Forest Preserve
*Massey Marina Park
*Mud Lake Park
*New Wine Park
*Pohlman Prairie Preserve
*Swiss Valley Nature Park & Preserve
*Whitewater Canyon Park
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The City of Dubuque and other towns in the county also operate public park systems of their own. (see [[Parks in Dubuque, Iowa|Parks in Dubuque]], [[Iowa]])

===Major highways===
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*[[File:US 20.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Route 20 in Iowa|U.S. Highway 20]]
*[[File:US 52.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Route 52 in Iowa|U.S. Highway 52]]
*[[File:US 61.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Route 61 in Iowa|U.S. Highway 61]]
*[[File:US 151.svg|x20px]] [[U.S. Highway 151]]
*[[File:Circle sign 3.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 3]]
*[[File:Elongated circle 32.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 32]]
*[[File:Elongated circle 136.svg|x20px]] [[Iowa Highway 136]]
{{div col end}}

===Transit===
* [[The Jule]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Clayton County, Iowa|Clayton County]]  (north)
*[[Grant County, Wisconsin|Grant County]], [[Wisconsin]]  (northeast)
*[[Jo Daviess County, Illinois|Jo Daviess County]], [[Illinois]]  (east)
*[[Jackson County, Iowa|Jackson County]]  (southeast)
*[[Jones County, Iowa|Jones County]]  (southwest)
*[[Delaware County, Iowa|Delaware County]]  (west)

===National protected areas===
* [[Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)
* [[Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge]] (part)