Loess Hills National Scenic Byway North

Road Trip Iowa | Episode

Apr 23, 2025 | 27 min

Journey along the rolling bluffs of Loess soil on the northern portion of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. Experience unique geological features and peaceful landscapes, with stops at the many hidden gems along the way.

Transcript

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On this episode of Road Trip Iowa --

Let's go cut some bundles!

We're traveling the northern portion of the Loess Hill Scenic Byway.

It's quiet. It's peaceful.

We discover unique and natural landmarks from the rolling bluffs of Loess soil to a peaceful landscape filled with tranquility with stops at the many hidden gems along the way.

Next, on Road Trip Iowa.

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Kwik Star is proud to be a part of Iowa communities across the state. Family owned for over 50 years, we're dedicated to treating our guests, employees and communities as we would like to be treated.

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Musco Lighting is an Iowa company that travels across the U.S. and to more than 125 countries to light community recreation fields, stadiums, airports, monuments and more. While our reach is global, we're committed to our local communities.

The Gilchrist Foundation, founded by Jocelyn Gilchrist, furthering the philanthropic interests of the Gilchrist family in wildlife and conservation, the arts and public broadcasting and disaster relief.

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[Brooke Kohlsdorf] Situated along Iowa's western border, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway stretches over 200 miles from north of Sioux City all the way to St. Joseph, Missouri. This majestic piece of Iowa offers unmatched scenery with a mix of topography and tranquility. Let's review our itinerary.

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[Kohlsdorf] We'll visit a neighborhood eatery where local food is as important as the people it serves. Take a tour of aviation history. Explore the hills of one of the most unique state forests in the country. And we'll tap into serenity at a farm filled with natural beauty and enticing aromas.

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[Kohlsdorf] But first, we begin north of Sioux City near the town of Westfield where the buffalo roam on the rolling bluffs of Loess soil.

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[Graham McGaffin] You're going to experience something here that really makes you step back and appreciate what was here 200 years ago. You can see an expansive grassland area that Lewis and Clark talked about when they came up the Missouri and said there was a sea of grass on those hills. And as you look at Broken Kettle and you look at the prairies and the private land surrounding here you get that image and you get that feeling.

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[Kohlsdorf] Encompassing nearly 4,000 acres, Broken Kettle Grasslands is Iowa's largest contiguous prairie reserve. Managed by the Nature Conservancy of Iowa, this lush landscape is celebrated for its unique geological features and sprawling biodiversity.

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[Graham McGaffin] It's the largest remnant tallgrass prairie in the state of Iowa. It's home to 200 bird species, big game, insects, a couple hundred head of bison that have been reintroduced in a cool partnership with the National Park Service that goes back sixteen years and just a really healthy herd that help us manage the prairie. We don't have the prairie for the bison, we have the bison for the prairie.

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[Graham McGaffin] It's been a remarkable conservation success in terms of growing our herd. We've grown it to the point where we've exported bison to other preserves around the country. The last couple of years we have transferred bison to tribes, local tribes through the Intertribal Buffalo Council and a great partnership with them. And the herd has been tremendously successful in helping us manage and we've seen the prairie respond to that as well.

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[Graham McGaffin] What is really neat about Broken Kettle, it's one of the coolest examples I can think of in the state of Iowa owned by the Nature Conservancy or by any conservation entity it is it recreating a landscape scale habitat.

[Kohlsdorf] Experience the natural habitat from inside your car or step outside and spend some time hiking the 10 miles of trails connecting the grasslands of Broken Kettle with neighboring preserves, Camp Joy Hollow and Five Ridge Prairie.

[Graham McGaffin] You're seeing something that there's only one other place in the world that has a geologic landform created by the deposition of Loess soil. And you can go down a very nerdy path there. But it also leads and has maintained a really high quality amount of tallgrass prairie and an opportunity to see something and experience something that you don't get in any other part of the country. And that's a quality of life amenity.

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[Graham McGaffin] The northern Loess Hills are really one of the most connected conservation landscapes in the state of Iowa. And, like I said, that's tremendously important for wildlife. But it's a tremendous opportunity for travelers as well as individuals that live in this part of the state.

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[Kohlsdorf] Next, we're heading south along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway to the largest city in northwest Iowa, Sioux City, a city that is rich in aviation history.

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[Tim Seaman] We're the Mid America Museum of Aviation and Transportation and we have a little bit of all of that whether it's planes, we have military helicopters, we have military vehicles, a couple of ambulances from the days gone by. We have small, private, personal aircraft. This is an experimental plane that I'm standing in front of right now. There's also automobiles from many years gone by. And there's artifacts all throughout this museum whether it's pictures, it's clothing, it's medallions from different types of military acknowledgements. It's a collection of many things.

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[Rick Alter] We start with World War I and you walk around the museum, you get to World War II. We have some commercial exhibits over here, airline exhibits around to the home-built airplanes and a couple of regular general aviation airplanes. We have a huge transport plane outside. Twice we've had people come in here and they say, I flew that airplane, I flew it in Alaska. Well, it's here now.

[Tim Seaman] We acquired that plane in 2009 with help from the Gilchrist Foundation and also AmeriCorps. We got a third grant from FedEx to actually implement our education classroom that is in there. We've designed it as kind of a STEM classroom.

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[Tim Seaman] There are museums that you go to that there are a lot of signs that say don't touch. And we have some of those. But that's what is really cool about this place. You can climb up in the plane and sit in the plane like you're the pilot. We have a helicopter, a military Huey helicopter that you can climb up in, you can lay on the medical bed like you're being evacuated or you can sit in the pilot's seat. So, it's really an interactive place and I think young people especially appreciate that.

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[Tim Seaman] It's a collection of history. It's a place where you can go back in time and see the way things were at one point and see also how things are today whether you're talking about aviation or you're talking about transportation from the planes, the vehicles, our education center, the United Flight 232 memorial and section of this museum. It's a tragic exhibit, but yet it's heartwarming too because so many people did survive. It has I think a special place with most people in Sioux City because it affected our entire community.

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[Rick Alter] I just think it's great that we're able to preserve history. And we do that through the last hundred years' worth of stuff we have in here. It's just a great place. We have a little bit of everything. And people walk in and say my gosh, I never knew this was here. This is fantastic. Kids love it too.

[Tim Seaman] It's a collection of history that lets you relive past history and also kind of see where we're headed. It can be a quick stop or you can spend half your day here depending up on how much time you have. You're not going to find this anywhere else along the Loess Hills Byway.

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[Kohlsdorf] Atop a nearby bluff in Sioux City along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway rests a 100-foot towering memorial.

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[Kohlsdorf] The Floyd Monument was erected in 1901 to honor the life of Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only explorer to perish during the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition west.

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[Kohlsdorf] Over a century later, this pivotal pillar of the past still towers over Sioux City and the Missouri River Valley.

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[Kohlsdorf] It's a great place for travelers to learn about the early days of exploration and the impact the Lewis and Clark Expedition had on the expansion of the American West.

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[Kohlsdorf] In the small town of Smithland, the quality of the food is as important as the community it serves. Let's check out a neighborhood roadhouse known for its hearty cuisine and laid back atmosphere.

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Order up!

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[Joseph Eneboe] We're in Smithland, Iowa. We're one of the oldest towns in Iowa. And right in the Loess Hills. We're trying to build something special kind of out in the middle of nowhere. The last census was right around 200 people. (laughs)

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[Joseph Eneboe] The pulled pork is definitely what we're known for right now. We have a smoker in our kitchen. We usually use hickory or a blend. And we're known for a great burger too. One of our biggest selling burgers right now is what we call the gunslinger, which is our certified Angus chuck burger. It's got the pulled pork on top, cheddar cheese and bacon. It's a barbeque lovers type of burger. (laughs)

[Ricky Norton] Oh, I think the tenderloins. They're big. I love them. Good food. Good food, yes.

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[Joseph Eneboe] My favorite food, I would definitely say the brisket philly or we have a 141 fill up, which is the brisket philly on top of our burger. We had a guy in from Ireland and he said that was the best burger he's ever had. (laughs)

[Ricky Norton] I used to drive through here all the time. I never realized this place was here. Come in here to eat, oh my goodness. I haven't had good food like that in I don't know how long.

[Joseph Eneboe] Yeah, we wanted to build a place that was special for people, a sentimental place for everybody whether it's your first date, your first anniversary dinner, if it's your 85th birthday or 90th birthday. We want it to be your party bus coming here, you know. The food is just the supporting actor to that. It's definitely something we put a lot of work and a lot of love into. But it's definitely the supporting actor and just being your Buffalo Joe's, your sentimental place to go. We're in the business of making memories.

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[Joseph Eneboe] The Loess Hills actually draws a lot of people to this area. It really is the pretty part of Iowa. Every part has its own beauty to it, but I'm a little partial to the Loess Hills.

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[Kohlsdorf] Known for its rolling hills, dramatic ridges and prairie landscapes, the Loess Hills State Forest in Harrison and Monona Counties, offers travelers thousands of acres of breathtaking views along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway.

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[Scott Nelson] What the Loess Hills are made of is windblown silt that was silt that was deposited during the last recession of the glaciers. The westerly winds would pick up this silt and deposit it like snow drifts on the western border of Iowa.

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[Jeff Seago] Loess Hills State Forest is classified as a wildlife management area. It is owned by the Iowa DNR. Our primary focus on most of the state forest is forest. This state forest is different because we have a lot of remnant native prairie. We actually have more acres of remnant native prairie under our management than I believe anybody else in the state has. We do a lot of forest management, but these areas are open to public hunting. They're open to hiking. They're open to camping. It's the public's. The public comes out here and the public uses these. It's quiet. It's peaceful. You hear a little bit of the Interstate traffic. But you can get into spots out here like right now where days you just can't hear other people and it's just, it's peaceful.

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[Jeff Seago] We have over 80 miles of hiking trails. About 60 miles of that are mowed, so maintained so it's not difficult to find those in 20 miles or on ridgetops. You'll see those ridgetops and then that is just a worn foot path going along the ridge.

[Kohlsdorf] If you're looking for a premier hiking experience, Brent's Trail offers miles of rugged terrain and panoramic pathways for adventure seekers.

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[Scott Nelson] It's actually named after the Loess Hills State Forester Brent Olson and he passed away after a long battle with cancer. And one of his dreams that him and I had talked about before he passed was actually creating a trail that is an Appalachian style trail where it is basically going to be unimproved, but it's going to traverse the spine of the Loess Hills going from north to south.

[Jeff Seago] One of the things that was important for me was to make all of his dreams and wishes come to fruition. That way it can help his family. We connected with spots that are both mowed and unmowed so you get the normal park life experience, but there's also areas where the trail goes through the woods in a goat path kind of fashion, which is exactly what Brent would have wanted.

[Scott Nelson] Anybody can hop on it and go for a hike. You can jump off at different points. It is a linear trail so that poses some unique challenges because if you get to the end you're going to have to either have a car down there or you're going to have to hike back.

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[Kohlsdorf] The Loess Hills State Forest provides much more than just hiking with seasonal opportunities available year-round.

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[Jeff Seago] In the early spring, you can hunt turkeys, so the whole place is open to public hunting. You can hunt turkeys. In the fall when it starts to get colder deer hunting is a pretty popular sport here. We have people that show shoe. We have people that cross country ski. We have people that hike and camp in the wintertime. There are people using this all times of the year.

[Kohlsdorf] If you're looking for a learning experience, there's a new nature center nestled in the hills along with a recreational area and campground.

[Scott Nelson] We're standing on the back deck of the new Willow Lake Nature Center. That's a great exhibit hall that is in there that talks about the importance of water and not just about what it is for the environment and for the resources, but how it shaped the Loess Hills and how important it is to everyday citizens. We've situated a facility on top of this hill overlooking the main feature of the property of the Willow Lake Recreation Area, which is the lake itself. And so, we've got this great opportunity with a swimming beach, with cabins around and a campground that is situated on the lake. It's a great place for families to come and just to learn and rediscover themselves.

[Kohlsdorf] The Loess Hills State Forest, a majestic stop along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway, offers a variety of opportunities for everyone to enjoy.

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[Kohlsdorf] Resting on the western rim of the Loess Hills State Forest is one of the best sunset overlooks in our state.

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[Kohlsdorf] Near the town of Little Sioux, an outcropping of the Loess Hills creates a picturesque scene along the byway, making this a must stop location for photography enthusiasts.

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[Kohlsdorf] Murray Hill Scenic Overlook provides breathtaking views of the hills to the north and south as well as the byway below and the valley beyond.

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[Kohlsdorf] Roadtrippers will notice the Loess Hills are filled with vast grasslands, forested hills and an abundance of flowers. At Loess Hills Lavender Farm outside Missouri Valley, the beauty of the landscape is as powerful as the aroma. Let's take a look around.

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[Kohlsdorf] Tracy, tell us about Loess Hills Lavender Farm.

[Tracy Porter] My family bought the farm in 2021. We have an agricultural background with corn and beans, so we had a lot to learn about lavender. The farm is 17 acres. We also have 10 acres in a CRP, so we don't touch it, spray anything on it. And we have two walking trails cut in there for people to enjoy.

[Kohlsdorf] What draws people from the byway to your lavender farm?

[Tracy Porter] I think people just overall like to come here to connect with nature. Lavender is known for relaxing and I think we all need that in our lives right now.

[Kohlsdorf] Amen.

[Tracy Porter] Lavender has 450 some varieties. So, it's purple, white, there's kind of a pinkish lavender. So, they get to see all of that as well. They can come and pick their own lavender or buy a bundle.

[Kohlsdorf] You mentioned part of the experience is people cutting their own lavender. I'd love to try. Can I?

[Tracy Porter] Yes, let's go cut some bundles.

[Kohlsdorf] Okay.

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[Tracy Porter] We're going to start picking you a bundle. So, on this plant, which is going to be fun, you can see it's got really long stems. I'm going to grab about that much and then I'm going to take my sickle here, I'm going to cut here still up in the green flimsy alive part. You can see down here there's some brown parts and that is where we want to avoid. We want to cut above that. And I'm just going to kind of slice through that. And that is going to be the start --

[Kohlsdorf] You've got your bundle. Okay, we've got this neat little basket here.

[Tracy Porter] You do. So, you will just go around the plant and grab that. So, grab what you want.

[Kohlsdorf] Is this good?

[Tracy Porter] That looks pretty good. Yeah. Yeah.

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[Kohlsdorf] Tada. That's not too hard. And then you've got this beautiful bundle.

[Tracy Porter] Yes, we do.

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[Tracy Porter] We have a lot of people that come out and they want to bundle but they may not want to come out to the field to cut it themselves. So, I do cut my bundles and we dry those inside for people that just want to have a bundle and take home for joy. So, do you want to come inside the store and see what else we have?

[Kohlsdorf] I would love to! Do a little shopping.

[Tracy Porter] Good.

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[Tracy Porter] Okay, so you can see we have some hanging bundles here and we're going to get a bundle for you also. This is a drying rack and the reason that you hang your bundles upside down is that we want our lavender to dry nice and straight. And it will take a couple of weeks for these to completely dry and then you can do with it what you want to. So, are you ready?

[Kohlsdorf] I am ready. Show me how to do this. It doesn't look like it's too complicated. But there must be some kind of system here.

[Tracy Porter] No, it is not. So, first thing we want to make sure is all the pretty buds are going the right way. And we do want to get all these little tiny leaves off there. So, I'll give this to you and let you start with that.

[Kohlsdorf] Okay.

[Tracy Porter] We make a lavender spritz that you can put on your pillows, in your bedding for that wonderful smell. We also make a lotion, just a general purpose good hand lotion. We also have some wonderful culinary products here. But we make a lot of other things too.

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[Tracy Porter] So, we got our bundle all done. And you're probably wondering what do we do with it now? And mainly, most of our products that we've talked about we steep the buds.

[Kohlsdorf] Tracy, thanks for having us out on the farm today. I've learned lots about lavender.

[Tracy Porter] Thank you very much for coming. But Brooke, before you leave, I need for you to try some lavender culinary. We have some lavender kind of shortbread sugar cookies here. Please try and I hope you enjoy.

[Kohlsdorf] It's part of the job. If I have to do it, I will.

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[Kohlsdorf] Mmm, this is good.

[Tracy Porter] I'm glad you like it.

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[Kohlsdorf] Our final stop along the northern portion of the Loess Hills Scenic Byway takes us to a familiar flyway.

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[Kohlsdorf] Spanning more than 8,000 acres along the Missouri River, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is home to a diverse ecosystem and serves as a protective habitat to migratory birds.

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[Kohlsdorf] Each spring and fall, this sanctuary becomes a haven for hundreds of thousands of snow geese, creating a spectacle to behold.

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[Kohlsdorf] The DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is open year-round, giving sightseers seasonal opportunities to experience this breathtaking landscape and to witness migratory marvels.

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[Kohlsdorf] Set on an expansive rolling landscape, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway offers travelers a variety of peaceful and picturesque pitstops to explore.

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[Kohlsdorf] We roamed with the buffalo at the Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve. Learned about transit history at the Mid America Museum of Aviation and Transportation. Took in the panoramic views and natural beauty at Loess Hills State Forest. And embraced our zen at Loess Hills Lavender Farm.

[Kohlsdorf] There is so much to see and do along this stretch of western Iowa. So, pull up a map and hop in the car today. For more on the history, culture and landscapes along Iowa's scenic byways, joins us next time on Road Trip Iowa.

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Kwik Star is proud to be a part of Iowa communities across the state. Family owned for over 50 years, we're dedicated to treating our guests, employees and communities as we would like to be treated.

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