The EB Lyons Interpretive Center serves as a visitor information center and park office. Displays and exhibits provide information about the history and features of the park. The Betty Hauptli Bird and Butterfly Garden, native prairies, woodland flower gardens, hiking trails and historic Junkermann farm site are just some of the many attractions at the Center. 

Rich in history and natural resources, the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area in Dubuque is a National Historic Landmark waiting to be explored. Village sites, rock shelters and trading post sites dot the landscape, and the area was once the location for lead mining until after the Civil War. The Julien Dubuque Monument, honoring the area’s first European settler, sits high above the Mississippi River and serves as a landmark for the Mines of Spain area. This state recreation area provides ample opportunity for visitors to explore a variety of trails and learn more about the history of the state.