These Iowa bluffs feel like Wyoming, but they’re made of ancient dust

They’re made of ancient dust

A 200-mile ribbon of wind-built hills runs along Iowa’s western border, from near Akron down to the Missouri state line.,

The Loess Hills rise 200 to 300 feet above the Missouri River Valley, spread across more than 640,000 acres, and look like nothing else on this continent.

The word “loess” (say “luss”) describes the flour-fine soil that makes them up. The only place on Earth with deeper deposits is China.

Over 10,000 acres here carry a National Natural Landmark designation, and the drive through them feels like you wandered into the wrong state.

Glacial wind stacked these hills for 14,000 years

The hills started taking shape between 14,000 and 28,000 years ago, as the last Ice Age wound down. Glaciers melted and sent massive amounts of water and ground-up sediment rushing through the Missouri River Valley.

Each winter, when water levels dropped, strong winds grabbed the exposed silt and carried it eastward. Those fine particles piled into dune-like formations along the east side of the valley.

Layer by layer, year after year, the deposits grew more than 200 feet deep in some spots.

A 220-mile byway through the heart of it

The Loess Hills National Scenic Byway gives you 220 paved miles through western Iowa, and another 185 miles of signed excursion loops branch off for side trips.

Scenic America ranked it among the nation’s ten most outstanding scenic byways back in 1992, and it earned an America’s Byways designation in 2000.

You pass through dozens of small towns, connect to multiple state parks and preserves, and pull over at overlooks with parking and interpretive signs spaced along the route.

Watch 200 bison graze Iowa’s largest prairie

Broken Kettle Grasslands covers nearly 4,000 acres near Westfield in Plymouth County, making it the largest remaining prairie in Iowa. The Nature Conservancy manages the land and reintroduced bison here in 2008.

More than 200 now roam the grass, grazing it down to keep the ecosystem healthy for about 200 bird species, badgers, coyotes, and the rare prairie rattlesnake.

You can view the herd from Highway 12 and nearby back roads, and about 10 miles of trails connect to neighboring preserves.

Climb a 45-foot tower for valley views at Hitchcock

Hitchcock Nature Center spreads across nearly 1,500 acres of prairie, savanna and woodlands near Honey Creek.

A 45-foot observation tower sits on top of a 250-foot hill, and from up there you look out over the Missouri River Valley with nothing blocking the sight line.

The center ranks among the top 25 HawkWatch sites in North America and one of the top five for migrating bald eagles. Volunteers count thousands of raptors from September through December.

The Loess Hills Lodge inside the center holds interactive exhibits and a children’s discovery area.

Waubonsie feels like the badlands dropped into Iowa

Waubonsie State Park covers nearly 2,000 acres near Hamburg at the southern tip of the Loess Hills. The park carries the name of Chief Waubonsie of the Potawatomi people.

Steep ridges and yucca plants make the terrain look more like the American West than the Midwest. You can hike, ride horseback, or mountain bike eight miles of trails through those rugged hills.

The Sunset Ridge Nature Trail puts the Missouri River Valley below you, and the park sits along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Stone State Park’s trails start at the edge of Sioux City

Stone State Park covers more than 1,000 acres at the northern end of the Loess Hills, right on the edge of Sioux City.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the park’s stone structures in the 1930s, and they still stand. More than 15 miles of trails serve hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.

Inside the park, the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center has a walk-under prairie exhibit, a 400-gallon native fish aquarium, and an outdoor raptor recovery center housing birds of prey.

Trails from the center connect straight into the larger park system.

Preparation Canyon sits boxed in by ridges on three sides

Preparation Canyon is a 344-acre park surrounded by dramatic ridges, and development has barely touched it. You hike in to one of 10 campsites, each with a picnic table and fire grill.

Streams and springs cut through the canyon floor, and a nature study area gives you a closer look at what grows here. A scenic overlook on the park’s edge delivers one of the most photographed views in the Loess Hills.

The park sits at the north end of the Loess Hills State Forest, so the trail options keep going.

Sixty miles of trail cross the Loess Hills State Forest

The Loess Hills State Forest spreads across 11,484 acres in Harrison and Monona counties.

More than 60 miles of trails range from easy ridgeline walks to steep, rugged climbs where you need sturdy shoes and sure footing on loose soil.

Brent’s Trail runs eight miles along ridges and valleys with long views of the surrounding landscape. The forest holds some of Iowa’s only hike-in backpacking campgrounds.

A visitor center in the town of Pisgah covers the geology and wildlife of the area.

Five ridges, 300 plant species, and a cabin on the bluff

Five Ridge Prairie covers nearly 1,000 acres at the northern end of the Loess Hills in Plymouth County. Five major ridges separated by deep, wooded valleys give the preserve its name.

About 300 acres of native prairie top those ridges, thick with little bluestem and sideoats grama grasses. Around 300 plant species grow here, from pasqueflower and blue-eyed grass to yucca.

Metal signs mark each ridge and valley junction, so you stay on track. A rustic one-room cabin sits perched high above the river valley, and you can rent it.

Bike 63 miles on a gentle grade through the hills

The Wabash Trace Nature Trail runs 63 miles of crushed limestone from Council Bluffs south to Blanchard, following a converted railroad corridor across more than 70 bridges.

Even though you ride through the Loess Hills, the grade stays gentle at about 3 percent. The northern section passes through a tunnel of arched trees that shade you in summer.

Near the town of Coin, the southern section opens to wide views of remnant prairie. At the north end, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connects you to Council Bluffs and the Omaha metro area.

Full-size expedition boats fill the Lewis and Clark visitor center

Lewis and Clark State Park sits on Blue Lake near Onawa, an oxbow lake that formed when the Missouri River shifted course. The expedition camped in this area in August 1804.

A visitor center built in 2013 holds full-size replicas of every boat they used, including the keelboat, two pirogues, a dugout canoe and a bull boat.

Blue Lake covers 250 acres with swimming, boating, and fishing for bass, catfish and panfish. Each June, a Lewis and Clark Festival brings historical presentations and costumed reenactors.

A paved lakeshore path keeps the park accessible for all abilities.

Explore the Loess Hills along Iowa’s western border

You can reach the Loess Hills from Interstate 29 and Interstate 80.

The scenic byway’s main route stretches from Akron in the north to the Missouri border in the south. Council Bluffs makes a good starting point at the southern end, with plenty of lodging and services nearby.

Sioux City anchors the northern end, where Stone State Park and the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center sit.

A detailed byway travel guide with maps and community information is available on the official website.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Michigan’s biggest state park has waterfalls, old-growth forest, and almost no one in it
• San Francisco’s visitor patterns are changing, and travelers are noticing new issues
• Oklahoma City fits a canal district, cowboy culture, and Route 66 into one very walkable weekend