Loess Hills Scenic Byway
Places to Visit
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The preserve is half prairie and constitutes the largest remnant of the prairie that once covered most of Iowa.
Location: Just north of Sioux City, in Plymouth County (3.5 hours northwest of Des Moines)
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California National Historic Trail (IA)
See where the California National Historic Trail begins from the Loess Hills Scenic Byway.
Location: General route began at various points along the Missouri River and stretched to various points in California and Oregon. One route goes through Council Bluffs, Iowa.
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Amid the Loess Hills and next to the Missouri River, this city has a rich past.
Location: East of capital city Omaha, Nebraska
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The capital city of Iowa, this modern metropolis got its start as a fort built in 1843 on two rivers.
Location: At the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers in central Iowa.
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DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (IA)
Each spring and fall, 500,000-plus snow geese and other waterfowl pause here for a few weeks while migrating.
Distance from byway: On the byway Directions: Take Exit 75 (Highway 30 West) to the refuge. (It is on the south side of the highway.)
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Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center (IA)
The center has live animal displays, hands-on exhibits, a butterfly garden, and a walk-through exhibit showing life under the prairie.
Location: 4500 Sioux River Road, Sioux City.
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This is one of the best sites of unbroken prairie remnants in the state of Iowa.
Distance from byway: 1 mi / 1.6 km Travel time: 7 minutes Directions: Leave Highway 12 at K 18 (north). The entrance to the Five Ridge Prairie Preserve is about a mile north of K 18 via 260th Street, a dirt road.
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This is an 1869 brick Victorian home of Civil War General and railroad builder, Grenville Dodge, who directed construction of the first transcontinental railroad.
Location: 605 S 3rd Street, Council Bluffs.
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East of downtown, this city park features a pond with waterfowl, playground equipment, the 750-seat, open air Davies Amphitheater, and the Mills County Historical Museum.
Location: Sharp Street, Glenwood
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Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center (IA)
The village has agricultural displays, Indian artifacts, and nine historical buildings.
Location: 2931 Monroe Ave. Missouri Valley
