Waubonsie State Park

About this park

Waubonsie State Park sits within Iowa's unique Loess Hills region in the far southwestern corner of the state, a landscape of wind-deposited silt bluffs found almost nowhere else in North America outside China. The park's ridgetop trails offer sweeping views over the Missouri River Valley below, a dramatically different perspective from the flat farmland typical of most of Iowa. The park lies along the historic Lewis and Clark Trail, and its rugged, eroded hills have long attracted hikers and naturalists interested in the Loess Hills' unusual prairie ecosystem, which supports plant and animal species found in few other parts of the state. Extensive trails serve both mountain bikers and equestrians, making Waubonsie one of the more active-recreation-focused parks in southwest Iowa. Eight rustic cabins and a campground allow for overnight stays close to the ridgetop views, and the park's combination of unusual geology, prairie ecology, and river-valley scenery makes it a distinctive stop for travelers exploring far southwestern Iowa.