The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed concrete, glass, and steel
Cedar Rock home in the eastern grasslands is a must-see for fans of prairie architecture. One of seven FLW residences in Iowa, it’s open from mid-May to mid-October. The highest point in Iowa,
Backbone State Park, has stunning vistas. The narrow ridge of bedrock is why it’s called Devil’s Backbone. In Onawa, the
Lewis & Clark State Park houses full-size replicas of Lewis and Clark’s barge and dugout canoe. The Loess Hills in western Iowa were shaped by windblown soil during the Ice Age. The ghost town of Preparation, now
Preparation Canyon State Park, was founded by a break-away group of Utah-bound Mormons in the 1850s. It’s a quiet, remote enclave for backcountry hiking amid bur oak, columbine, ferns, and jack-in-the-pulpit. Bobcats, deer, great plains skink, songbirds, and turkey are among the native animal species. The
Hitchcock Nature Center located in Honey Creek, has a 45-foot tall observation tower from which to view the Loess Hills. Birdwatchers gather from September through December to witness thousands of eagles, hawks, and other raptors. In summer, sunflower fields blanket
Badger Creek State Park near Des Moines. Dubbed “Little Switzerland” for its rugged topography, the
Volga River State Recreation Area in scenic northeast Iowa, attracts wildlife watchers to spy beaver, deer, and red fox. Less than an hour from Des Moines, the sandstone shelves of
Ledges State Park sit 100 feet above the Des Moines River. There are several structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and a winding canyon drive through the dramatic cliffs and valleys. Bright lichen are legion in the park.