un jour / 220 miles / 7 heures 20 minutes
The Loess Hills Scenic Byway weaves through the rugged landscape of windblown silt deposits along the Missouri River Valley. This unique American treasure possesses natural features found only in one other place in the world: the Yellow River Valley of China. Accordingly, the landscape supports many rare plants and animals.
Jour 1
9:00 - 19.5 miles / 39 minutes - 9:39
Broken Kettle Grasslands is the Nature Conservancy’s largest preserve in Iowa with 4,500 acres of natural beauty showing loess topography and native prairie. The terrain is steep and rugged in some areas and predominantly grasslands. The extensive prairie ridgetops feature a variety of rare plants and animals. See breathtaking vistas while you hike. The preserve contains some flora and fauna not found in any other part of the Loess Hills to the south or the state of Iowa; these include the prairie rattlesnake and the 10-petal blazing star.
10:39 - 2.3 miles / 4 minutes - 10:43
Stone State Park is a 1,322-acre area containing woodlands, topography with scenic overlooks, interpretive panels and native prairie. Rare butterflies such as the Pawnee Skipper are found on the prairie ridges and a variety of prairie plants can be found on the steep, dry slopes. Late April and early May are the best times to
view the woodland flowers. Dakota Point and Elk Point provide scenic
overlooks of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.
The park began as an area of hunting and camping for native groups like the Dakota Sioux. The area was taken over by Daniel Hector Talbot in 1883 and passed through the hands of several men and Sioux City until it was acquired by the state of Iowa. The park is named for Edgar Stone
who began to develop the area for a park nearly 100 years ago.14:43 - 5.8 miles / 11 minutes - 14:55
A group of Mormons rested here in 1853, originally preparing for the journey to Utah. Instead, they left their church and settled here to follow a charismatic man who they later discovered was a swindler. Charles B. Thompson named the area Preparation for the "Preparation for the life to come" and became the overseer of the group's property. But
when they decided they wanted it back, he would not comply so many of the people decided to move on to Utah. Now Preparation Canyon is a state park offering hiking trails, campsites, and a scenic experience in the Loess Hills.14:55 - 41.6 miles / une heure 23 minutes - 16:18
Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center
Get to know a little more about Iowa at this historical village
and welcome center. Visitors will find displays and exhibits that
represent the cultures of Iowa both past and present. Indian
artifacts are coupled with historic display buildings and a log
cabin. Visitors may even want to take a piece of Iowa with them by
selecting an item from the shop of Iowa products.16:18 - 28.5 miles / 57 minutes - 17:15
The area that is now the city of Council Bluffs was once known
as the "gateway to the American West." Explorers like Lewis and
Clark stopped here. The great Indian tribes of the past called this
area their home. Pioneers and travelers passed through Council
Bluffs for decades. In the 1840s more than 30,000 Mormon refugees
stopped in Council Bluffs on their way to Utah. These pioneers
built structures that are now historic sites in the city. Now
Council Bluffs is a growing city with lots of places to explore and
enjoy.17:15 - 122.5 miles / 4 heures 5 minutes - 10:20