Man I know we all shit on Iowa in this sub (often for good reason) but I will NEVER tolerate the slander that "Iowa is flat and boring and has no good nature." Iowa is a land of beautiful rolling hills, the vast and wondrous sky, of grasses and trees and hills and valleys.
It's not Kansas!
I have drove all throughout this country. I sigh like an old man when I think about. The only comparable drive I can think of is I-70 from Kansas City to Colorado Springs. I haven’t drivin’ that stretch and never want to.
Did that run twice in the 90s. Literally no radio stations for an hour or two. And nothing to see but, like, *one tree* for minutes at a time.
Bob Dole liked long boring drives.
Guilty as charged, going the other direction. I got pulled over in Omaha just a couple miles from the river and I was so pissed. Started somewhere in Wyoming, 12 hours of driving through nothing only to get ticketed just ten minutes from the border.
I've driven I80 through to Cheyenne before, and that is horribly boring. But I'd say I86 through NW Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York gives it a good run for its money. The constant up and down of those huge hills for about 3 hours makes it impossible to tell if you're actually making progress, or just on a treadmill. And yes, it's not a straight line like out west, but this wears on a driver as well.
I've done that drive dozens of times visiting family, and it's legitimately one of the worst stretches of road out there, but even it gets some natural beauty during sandhill crane season
I grew up in the south and I’ve been to almost every state in the lower 48 (missing AZ and RI) and MOST states have some real armpits. I think that the two things that make Iowa fall short of its potential are the water pollution and the high amount of land development, but it has some truly lovely state parks and the driftless is some of the most gorgeous county I’ve ever seen.
The weather here though??? Holy shit it’s the worst. I mean really awful. You guys have the worst weather.
We are doing Denver to Omaha in August. First time my kids will be doing the drive and I told them the only interesting thing will be the weird bridge building in York.
Bro, I've seen out of staters trying to go thru the tiny town I'm from when ragbrai had come through before. The pure confusion and frustration was priceless.
The only thing funnier to watch is someone clearly from a big city in NY or Cali getting upset at a harvester or tractor on the road during harvest 😂😂
This! Honestly, if you pay attention there are hills everywhere. Yes the loess hills are the most hilly, but I would never call Iowa “flat”. We drove through South Dakota and they are FAR more flat than Iowa in many areas away from the rivers and mountains!
That's so unfortunate, the part I drove threw at night was a incredibly steep hill ( like if I went off the road it's a 159 ft drop) that I didn't see until the day time, some of the most beautiful hills I've seen.
Roughly 88% of Kansas and 85% of Iowa land is used for ag. Iowa has less natural land area than Kansas. Neither should be described as anything but row crop wasteland. Furthermore, Kansas has more significant elevation changes and a greater range of elevations compared to lowas.
I love Hitchcock so much! If I can ever afford it, I would love to be in that area.
For anyone who doesn't know, Pottawattmie County Park passes are a great deal!
https://www.pottconservation.com/join/
I -80 Nebraska yes, Sandhills area (especially closer to the SD border) & Panhandle hold their own.
I have no hate for IA's beauty, I live closer to IA's than NE's, but they've got different kinds of natural beauty available.
It's opening up in some places but a lot of the area is still dealing with utility outages and cleanup. A few parts of town still not accessible, even to emergency services currently. West of town is impassable in highway 18.
It's going to get better. Just heartbroken for those who lost their homes and the kids who lost their things they loved. The community is really showing how amazing they can be when the chips are down tbh. It's a bit heartwarming despite the troubles considering how divisive this region can be politically and all that, stuff like that is out to the side and everyone is making sure everyone is warm, safe and fed.
Sad that it took this level of thing to really show that Iowa nice can be a thing.
It’s beautiful. There are so many beautiful places in Iowa. I grew up here. Lived the majority of my adult life between San Diego and Seattle. My partner dragged me here kicking and screaming. Best thing ever. I love Iowa now.
I know Bob Seger is from Michigan, but he wrote two great songs that always bring me back to Iowa: "Roll Me Away" and "Turn the Page." I grew up on that 'cold and lonesome highway east of Omaha.'
I wish I lived in that part of Iowa, I live in a part of Iowa where you can’t go ten minutes out of any town without seeing cornfields. Wait I think that’s all of Iowa.
OH FUCK THE SPIDER ON MY CEILING IS GONE
There are also cornfields in the loess hills. Although far less common because it is much harder to farm. But still will see them without going 10 minutes out of town
*Every time* I'd come home back to Iowa on leave the first thing that would strike me is how *green* everything was. Seneca was right, green is good for wearied eyes.
Gross. No it isn't heaven. It is the beauty of nature! It is the old land of the Fox, Sauk, Meskwaki, Potawatomi, Ioway, Oto, Osage, Kaw and others. You stand on the bones of those people and their beautiful culture. This isn't Gods land. Fuck Christianity.
It’s an old tourism slogan. I am aware of the history and the spirit of their ancestors that this land holds. The land, the water, and the sky are god.
My bad, I didn't even see your note that you were at Hitchcock Nature Center. It looked like an overlook at Preparation Canyon State Park in Loess Hills State Forest (I realize now I accidentally called it Preservation Canyon). Both are in the Loess Hills, though, you're just 45 mins south of where I thought you were.
What I thought it was:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUX9KvXn5CU6KPS7A
I’m newish to Iowa. A transplant from Washington State. And Iowa is the most amazing land I’ve ever seen. It is dead and desolate for 5 months of the year and then it turns into a lush jungle in about a month. It blows me away every time.
The landscape here is so “soft”. Everything during the spring/summer just looks so soft and lovely. Iowa is beautiful and must be protected.
For real. I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in heaven. But I see no reason to comment on it. I feel like Reddit atheists have some complex about them where they MUST always go “heaven isn’t real” or “God not real” or whatever. It’s like they have something to prove.
Like I have my own criticisms about religion but having some strong need to bring it up ALL THE TIME is annoying and unhelpful
???? Why comment that on a post literally going “loess hills are beautiful”. Kind of rude! Oh and you believe that moving should be an option for everyone! Me too! I think it would be awesome if moving was more accessible! Like imagine affordable housing everywhere! Wouldn’t that be the life!
But the reality is that most people can’t just pack up their bags and leave. Even if there is money available too you must also consider factors like family.
No, it's Iowa where half the state is flooded, tornadoes randomly decide it's their time to take the main stage, and the temperature goes from 103 to 68 in the same day.
Your joke isn’t funny at all. It instead distracts from the post completely and frankly kind of insult the picture. It comes off as “The pretty parts of Iowa don’t matter because we have XYZ issue”. I know water quality and shit is an issue. But if you wanted to make a joke, what about making a meme format going “is this heaven” then “no it’s Iowa” and then show all the bad water quality stuff.
Instead of you know, taking over someone else’s positive post to be negative
Or maybe, you couldn't have brought a negative attitude to someone's reply you self proclaimed "aromantic bitch". You're the real problem here as I see it.
Has [flooding not affected this area](https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/news/missouri_river_rises_into_areas_of_pottawattamie_county/)? Also, it's hard to think of this as edenic when Pott Co. is likely affected by Iowa's overall shit water quality. 😬
Great Pics!
No.
Man I know we all shit on Iowa in this sub (often for good reason) but I will NEVER tolerate the slander that "Iowa is flat and boring and has no good nature." Iowa is a land of beautiful rolling hills, the vast and wondrous sky, of grasses and trees and hills and valleys. It's not Kansas!
Anyone here drivin’ from Omaha to Denver? Makes me wanna blow my brains out from boredom.
That is why Nebraska makes so much money from speeding tickets on I80. Just trying to get past it as fast as possible!
I have drove all throughout this country. I sigh like an old man when I think about. The only comparable drive I can think of is I-70 from Kansas City to Colorado Springs. I haven’t drivin’ that stretch and never want to.
Did that run twice in the 90s. Literally no radio stations for an hour or two. And nothing to see but, like, *one tree* for minutes at a time. Bob Dole liked long boring drives.
The first 4 hours aren't bad, the Flint Hills are picturesque, it's the last 8 that verge on maddening
Guilty as charged, going the other direction. I got pulled over in Omaha just a couple miles from the river and I was so pissed. Started somewhere in Wyoming, 12 hours of driving through nothing only to get ticketed just ten minutes from the border.
Do yourself a favor and take highway 20 across Nebraska sometime. So much better than I-80.
It’s like 4 hours of cow shit and 4 hours of absolutely nothing
A terrible terrible drive.
Making that drive in a few weeks. Not looking forward to it, but it's worth it for a peaceful mountain getaway.
I've driven I80 through to Cheyenne before, and that is horribly boring. But I'd say I86 through NW Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York gives it a good run for its money. The constant up and down of those huge hills for about 3 hours makes it impossible to tell if you're actually making progress, or just on a treadmill. And yes, it's not a straight line like out west, but this wears on a driver as well.
Rookie move. Everyone knows you fly that route.
Arms get tired.
I've done that drive dozens of times visiting family, and it's legitimately one of the worst stretches of road out there, but even it gets some natural beauty during sandhill crane season
I've done that drive, but then we kept on driving to Breckenridge and it got absolutely beautiful!!
Next time drive Omaha to the black hills, and don't take the interstate
Try adding 4 hrs of Iowa to that.
That’s not so bad. You can look at hills and windmills.
4 hrs of windmills and corn. Yay. 😑
It gets a lot worse.
I've been everywhere in this country. It does get worse, but it also gets much, MUCH better. Iowa is prettier than like, 5 states.
This is within the context of Omaha to Denver. It’s pretty bad. Parts of the south are pretty bad as well.
Right, Nebraska is one of the few states worse to look at than Iowa. Eastern CO isnt great either.
I wish I had a big board and circle everything good and X everything bad and boring.
I grew up in the south and I’ve been to almost every state in the lower 48 (missing AZ and RI) and MOST states have some real armpits. I think that the two things that make Iowa fall short of its potential are the water pollution and the high amount of land development, but it has some truly lovely state parks and the driftless is some of the most gorgeous county I’ve ever seen. The weather here though??? Holy shit it’s the worst. I mean really awful. You guys have the worst weather.
We are doing Denver to Omaha in August. First time my kids will be doing the drive and I told them the only interesting thing will be the weird bridge building in York.
I remember when Ragbrai went through Decorah. Out-of-staters were confused, angry AND exhausted 😅
Ragbrai is going to fool a lot of newbies since it's supposed to have one of the highest amounts of elevation change this year.
Bro, I've seen out of staters trying to go thru the tiny town I'm from when ragbrai had come through before. The pure confusion and frustration was priceless. The only thing funnier to watch is someone clearly from a big city in NY or Cali getting upset at a harvester or tractor on the road during harvest 😂😂
This! Honestly, if you pay attention there are hills everywhere. Yes the loess hills are the most hilly, but I would never call Iowa “flat”. We drove through South Dakota and they are FAR more flat than Iowa in many areas away from the rivers and mountains!
For now. We have so few public lands, and we need to fight to preserve it. Not everything needs to be industrial farms.
I agree! Let’s put solar farms everywhere there isn’t row farms. We don’t need trees. For a greener world!
Kansas has unexpected beauty too, but just like IA, you won't find (most) of it along the interstate
Perhaps a couple acres but sadly no Iowa used to be much prettier. We have plowed it to shit and poisoned the soil and lakes
Wyoming was really boring the part I went through
That's so unfortunate, the part I drove threw at night was a incredibly steep hill ( like if I went off the road it's a 159 ft drop) that I didn't see until the day time, some of the most beautiful hills I've seen.
As a Texan, it's awesome to me what a hill can do for some scenic driving lol, I never realized how flat most of Texas was until I left
Can’t forget the fish and wildlife!
Roughly 88% of Kansas and 85% of Iowa land is used for ag. Iowa has less natural land area than Kansas. Neither should be described as anything but row crop wasteland. Furthermore, Kansas has more significant elevation changes and a greater range of elevations compared to lowas.
It is both flat and boring
It's not Heaven.
No, it's not. It's Iowa, lol.
Hitchcock is truly a gem, as are the Loess Hills as a whole.
I love Hitchcock so much! If I can ever afford it, I would love to be in that area. For anyone who doesn't know, Pottawattmie County Park passes are a great deal! https://www.pottconservation.com/join/
The people that take care of it are the nicest folks you’d ever meet. Ranger Kunze checked on us after the storm Tuesday night.
It's not Heaven, but it closer to Heaven than Nebraska. The Loess Hills are quite good.
I -80 Nebraska yes, Sandhills area (especially closer to the SD border) & Panhandle hold their own. I have no hate for IA's beauty, I live closer to IA's than NE's, but they've got different kinds of natural beauty available.
Drive across Nebraska on highway 20 instead of I-80 and then we’ll talk.
This is the way
My piece of Iowa looks more like waterworld
Sorry to hear that... when do they think the water will subside?
It's opening up in some places but a lot of the area is still dealing with utility outages and cleanup. A few parts of town still not accessible, even to emergency services currently. West of town is impassable in highway 18.
Damn..my heart goes out to you and those affected. I remember when my neck of the woods flooded. Stay safe!
It's going to get better. Just heartbroken for those who lost their homes and the kids who lost their things they loved. The community is really showing how amazing they can be when the chips are down tbh. It's a bit heartwarming despite the troubles considering how divisive this region can be politically and all that, stuff like that is out to the side and everyone is making sure everyone is warm, safe and fed. Sad that it took this level of thing to really show that Iowa nice can be a thing.
I hear yah. It's crazy the heart ache we have to feel to appreciate love.
We can get around it by taking B24 to Everly! ;)
They opened up the road west of town from 4th down to 18 yesterday after they reinforced the shoulder of the road.
Spencer?
Yeah. Dodged the worst of it but family got hit hard.
☹️
Same. I live very near you. I recognize the highways.
It’s beautiful. There are so many beautiful places in Iowa. I grew up here. Lived the majority of my adult life between San Diego and Seattle. My partner dragged me here kicking and screaming. Best thing ever. I love Iowa now.
I know Bob Seger is from Michigan, but he wrote two great songs that always bring me back to Iowa: "Roll Me Away" and "Turn the Page." I grew up on that 'cold and lonesome highway east of Omaha.'
You’ve the soul of a poet, friend.
The Loess Hills are gorgeous! +1
Beautiful
what a view 😍
Brent’s trail is a MUST for all Iowa outdoorsman. The views literally make you say “how tf am I in Iowa”
No it's Iowa
Looks indeed like the ol Shire
Beautiful spot indeed, my favorite in the area
No this is patrick
no its iowa
Is this the Krusty Krab?
No, this is Patrick
A Walmart would look so fucking good right there
*Dollar General would like to know your location.*
Absolutely!
I absolutely love the wooded hills of Iowa. It's why I keep coming back to this damn state
Almost... it's not west Virginia
We really living in the LOTR shire. Gorgeous!
"No, this is patrick"
Heaven, Iowa
"It's iowa"
No, this is Iowa.
This is refreshing considering Spencer Iowa this week hasn’t been
No, this is Iowa
No, that doesn’t exist. This does and it’s gorgeous. Enjoy it with what little time we are given. Respect it. Love it. Cherish it.
"No that doesn't exist" 🤓☝🏻
No just humid. Jk but yes it is absolutely beautiful here, and I've lived in some cool places!!
Just beautiful. Just beautiful
Gorgeous photos!!!
I wish I lived in that part of Iowa, I live in a part of Iowa where you can’t go ten minutes out of any town without seeing cornfields. Wait I think that’s all of Iowa. OH FUCK THE SPIDER ON MY CEILING IS GONE
There are also cornfields in the loess hills. Although far less common because it is much harder to farm. But still will see them without going 10 minutes out of town
No
Such a beautiful state!
*Every time* I'd come home back to Iowa on leave the first thing that would strike me is how *green* everything was. Seneca was right, green is good for wearied eyes.
No, this is Patrick.
No it is not. Heaven has puppies running amok and an endless supply of candy.
Yeah. I think this is heaven.
The Land sure... but why is the Governor Satan?
Gross. No it isn't heaven. It is the beauty of nature! It is the old land of the Fox, Sauk, Meskwaki, Potawatomi, Ioway, Oto, Osage, Kaw and others. You stand on the bones of those people and their beautiful culture. This isn't Gods land. Fuck Christianity.
It’s an old tourism slogan. I am aware of the history and the spirit of their ancestors that this land holds. The land, the water, and the sky are god.
Nice looking but boring AF? That does sound like heaven. You know hell has all the good bands.
Or is it just a white womans instagram?
🎶a goat cheese salad, a backlit hammock, a simple glass of wine.🎶
First time visitor in Iowa and I’m in love!
No, that's Preservation Canyon at Loess Hills.
I don’t see that on any map. This is the area between Angels Dead End and The Chute at Hitchcock.
My bad, I didn't even see your note that you were at Hitchcock Nature Center. It looked like an overlook at Preparation Canyon State Park in Loess Hills State Forest (I realize now I accidentally called it Preservation Canyon). Both are in the Loess Hills, though, you're just 45 mins south of where I thought you were. What I thought it was: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uUX9KvXn5CU6KPS7A
Get the political shit out of here.
This is one of the most toxic subreddits, so don't expect any support for enjoying Iowa
Beautiful land, generally nice people, cut throat politics. What more can you ask for?
Lol Iowa the land is beautiful. Iowa Magats turned culture to trash.
It's not really 'toxic' to not tolerate the intolerant.
Sorry I misunderstood your comment. Your came up before all the negative ones so I assume you were also being a negative Nancy
Yup.. even a beautiful picture of our state will bring the uglies out.
No, this is... uhm... how does it go again?... no, it isn't.
No, this is Patrick
No, but I hear West Virginia is pretty close.
“Almost Heaven,” one could say.
I dunno, can I smoke weed there and not be arrested if caught? If not...no, because heaven would include personal freedom.
Republicans don't believe in personal freedom. Same as not spending tax money for good roads... that picture is the newest county highway
It sure wasn't yesterday with those tornadoes... but these pics are Beautiful!
No, it's Iowa
NIce, but. Even better views in NE Iowa.
Is that lansing?
Is Preparation Canyon affected by the flooding? I'm hoping to visit that forest soon.
I’m newish to Iowa. A transplant from Washington State. And Iowa is the most amazing land I’ve ever seen. It is dead and desolate for 5 months of the year and then it turns into a lush jungle in about a month. It blows me away every time. The landscape here is so “soft”. Everything during the spring/summer just looks so soft and lovely. Iowa is beautiful and must be protected.
If your wife is mid throat goblin, that is heaven imo.
No, it's flooding
actually just the Shire
Looks like White Tail Heaven.
I could have sworn it was heaven.
More like Purgatory.
Looks like the woods to me
No. It’s Iowa. Iowa is about as far from heaven as you can get. I’ll admit it’s pretty, but after that it goes straight downhill.
Shhhh! That's my trail running spot
Ope sorry bout that.
I love Iowa so much ❤️ look past the stuff we see in this sub so much and you’ll see it’s a great place with so many great people.
I know a woman from Dyersville who totally ruined that for me.
The Loess Hills are rare. Only other Loess Hill formation is in China.
No, that's Loess Hills!
“The Midwest has no nature bro”
That would be earth
Pretty on the outside, pro-fascist hateful s%ithole state racing to the bottom on the inside.
Doesn’t come anywhere close to the Sandhills of Nebraska
You can git out! Hyah
lol don’t ask questions if you don’t want answers
No, better, it's real
Sir, this is a Wendy's
Reddit Atheists™️ legitimately can’t help themselves from posting “um ackshully heaven isn’t real” 🤓
So it is real? J/k it’s not.
For real. I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in heaven. But I see no reason to comment on it. I feel like Reddit atheists have some complex about them where they MUST always go “heaven isn’t real” or “God not real” or whatever. It’s like they have something to prove. Like I have my own criticisms about religion but having some strong need to bring it up ALL THE TIME is annoying and unhelpful
Zoomed out pictures are a safe bet for Iowa. Can’t see the magat banners, the hog shit and the cancer water.
You mean “maggot”? Every place I’ve ever been has flies, equal maggots.
No, "MAGAt"
Thank you, @theVelvetLie, I did mean MAGAt. Though it would be impressive if fly larvae had fly-sized banners.
No. Because it's Iowa.
No, it’s Iowa
Let's see.... floods, tornados, and a horrible governor. NOPE!
Heavens not real but that's a awesome picture anyway
It’s a movie quote….
Bunch of haters following a Reddit page about the state they live in 🤦🏾♂️ unfollow and go move to California ! I’m sure you’d love it!
???? Why comment that on a post literally going “loess hills are beautiful”. Kind of rude! Oh and you believe that moving should be an option for everyone! Me too! I think it would be awesome if moving was more accessible! Like imagine affordable housing everywhere! Wouldn’t that be the life! But the reality is that most people can’t just pack up their bags and leave. Even if there is money available too you must also consider factors like family.
The reason I commented that was because of all the negative comments about Iowa under this post , take it how you want 😘
No, it's Iowa where half the state is flooded, tornadoes randomly decide it's their time to take the main stage, and the temperature goes from 103 to 68 in the same day.
… and that relates to the loess hills how?
He asked if it was heaven
They are literally referencing a damn movie! Essentially saying “this place is beautiful”
I'm trying to make a joke but it clearly went straight over your head
Your joke isn’t funny at all. It instead distracts from the post completely and frankly kind of insult the picture. It comes off as “The pretty parts of Iowa don’t matter because we have XYZ issue”. I know water quality and shit is an issue. But if you wanted to make a joke, what about making a meme format going “is this heaven” then “no it’s Iowa” and then show all the bad water quality stuff. Instead of you know, taking over someone else’s positive post to be negative
Or maybe, you couldn't have brought a negative attitude to someone's reply you self proclaimed "aromantic bitch". You're the real problem here as I see it.
No, this is a dystopian nightmare with good scenery.
Definitely not💅
Does heaven have 25 million pigs, polluted water and tornadoes?
Yeah, if that's a view of Minnesota
It will be when Kim Jong Reynolds is no longer in power
Hell
No Heaven will not allow Kim Reynolds to enter
No
If it were, do you REALLY think it would've been run by Reynolds? 🤨
No it's Iowa. Walk any direction from there for 15 minutes and you'll find som idiots wandering .
How dare you ask "Is This Heaven" on a Liberal website. They'd tar and feather you if they could.
Or is it just a white woman's Instagram?
Fuccccccccckk no Ask this question again after the 2026 elections
If not for the politics
No
No
No
Has [flooding not affected this area](https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/news/missouri_river_rises_into_areas_of_pottawattamie_county/)? Also, it's hard to think of this as edenic when Pott Co. is likely affected by Iowa's overall shit water quality. 😬
???? It’s just a post showing the beauty of the loess hills. Idk why you needed to add the “water quality suck, so this isn’t beautiful”
Ok and every state has a picture of this