Council Bluffs, Loess Hills
& Sioux City

Western Iowa Discovery Tour

Visitors can discover fun new adventures and great get-away places along Iowa Loess Hills National Scenic Byway that parallels Lewis & Clark’s historic route.

Percival

The Southern Loess Hills Interpretive Center off of I-29 provides an introduction to the 220-mile-long National Scenic Byway that begins at Iowa’s southern border and parallels I-29 and the Missouri River to north of Sioux City.

Waubonsie State Park

Six-miles south of Sidney. The park offers nature trails and hiking for panoramic views of the Missouri River valley. There are secluded campsites as well as rental cabins, youth group lodge and a 250-acre lake for fishing, boating and canoeing.

Sidney

Visitors won’t want to miss the Fremont County History Center & Iowa’s Championship Rodeo Museum. The Sidney Rodeo is August 1– 5. Nearby Hamburg is the trail-head for Iowa’s Lewis & Clark Trail Bike Trail – the only Lewis and Clark Bike Trail spanning statewide.

Glenwood

Features the Mills County Historical Museum, Earth Lodge and Amphitheater.

Lake Manawa State Park

This 1,529-acre state park and lake south of Council Bluffs’ exit 47. The lake was formed by a Missouri River Oxbow that today provides fishing, premier power boating, paddleboats and beaches. The Park includes 8 miles of mountain bike trails as well as hiking and nature trails.

Council Bluffs

Includes the Western Historic Trails Center, Lewis & Clark Monument, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, Kanesville Tabernacle and Bayliss Park. Council Bluffs is the site of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s White Catfish camp near the Western Historic Trails Center.

Honey Creek

Scenic Hitchcock Nature Center.

Wilson Island State Recreation Area

On the Missouri River, this unique recreation area includes 544-acres of dense Cottonwood stands. Campsites are available plus five miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. Limited access due to spring flooding.

Missouri Valley

Your gateway to the Iowa’s Loess Hills and DeSoto Bend. A great place to start is at the Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center. Missouri Valley also features the Watson Station Depot and Museum, Missouri Valley’s Caboose Park, three Iowa Scenic Byways, Mo Valley Rally, Missouri Valley Antique Mall and Classic Cars, the Small Fruit Farm, the Loess Hills Lavender Farm, Little Willow Dog Park, and the Wilson Island State Recreation area.
MissouriValleyChamber.org

DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge

On the Missouri River. Take I-29 to Exit 75 to US-30 westbound. Migrating birds including bald eagles stop here annually. The visitor center features exhibits of artifacts retrieved from the Bertrand Steamboat. Please call 712-388 4800 in advance for more information on park services and access.

Pisgah

IA HWY 183. The Loess Hills State Forest Visitor Center and Preparation Canyon State Park are surrounded by the beauty of the Loess Hills. The forest provides a backdrop for hiking, picnicking, nature study and hike-in camping.

Moorhead

The Loess Hills Hospitality & Visitors Center helps Byway travelers enjoy their adventure.

Onawa

Lewis & Clark State Park is the only visitor center along the entire Lewis and Clark Trail with replicas of every watercraft used by the expedition, plus interactive exhibits. The 250-acre Blue Lake provides boat ramps, beaches, swimming and fishing. There are 30-acres of picnic grounds plus a day-use lodge and overnight camping.

Sergeant Bluff

The Corps of Discovery Welcome Center and Rest Area off I-29 includes an Iowa Welcome Center and the Sergeant Bluff Museum.

Sioux City

Includes the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Betty Strong Encounter Center, Sergeant Floyd Monument, Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center, Mid-America Museum of Aviation and Transportation, Fourth Street Historic District, Sioux City Railroad Museum, Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City Public Museum, Trinity Heights, War Eagle Monument, and the Flight 232 Memorial. The Sergeant Floyd Monument marks the burial site for the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s only casualty. ExploreSiouxCity.org

Stone State Park and the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

Located in the scenic Loess Hills north of Sioux City. The 1,595-acre park offers camping, fishing, horseback riding, mountain bike and hiking trails and in the winter, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

Traveling south on the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway leads to Moorhead, Woodbine and Logan then goes east on IA HWY 44

Harlan

The Shelby County Historical Museum.

Prairie Rose State Park

On IA HWY 44 near Jacksonville. The park and lake offer camping, camping cabins, fishing, swimming, canoe and sail boating; and in the winter, ice-boating. Also 7-miles of hiking trails and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

Kimballton and Elk Horn

On IA HWY 173. Features the distinctive Danish Immigrant Museum, Little Mermaid/Danish attractions and the historic Bedstemor’s Hus (Grandmother’s House).

Atlantic

Includes the restored Duck Island Depot.

Viking Lake State Park

Near Stanton at the junction of US 71 and 34. The park and lake offer no-wake boating, boat rental, swimming, fishing, camping, full service restaurant and concession services, plus hiking and nature trails, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

Red Oak

Features the Pioneer Homes Tour, the Montgomery County History Center and the World War II Memorial Museum.

Shenandoah

On IA HWY 2 and 48. Includes the fun Bricker Butterfly House and botanical center with native butterflies and tropical birds, gardens, displays and gift shop. Shenandoah also features the Iowa Walk of Fame and the Greater Shenandoah Historical Museum. Corning, IA to the east is the birthplace of entertainer Johnny Carson.

Clarinda

On IA HWY 2. Features the Glenn Miller Birthplace Home, the Nodaway Valley Historical Society Museum and the self-guided “Promenade around Clarinda” walking tour.