Featured Destination: Iowa River Greenbelt
Natural Features

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Three geological landforms converge in this region: the Wisconsin Surface, the Iowa Drift Plain and the Southern Iowa Drift Plain. The Iowa River in Hardin County is influenced by all three landform regions.

The character of the river ranges from a low, rock-lined channel near Alden to a narrow gorge and bluffs at Iowa Falls. Between Iowa Falls and Steamboat Rock, the bluffs recede from the river and the valley widens, deepens and is distinguished by terraces along the sides of the valley. From about Steamboat Rock to Eldora, the river flows along the edge of the Bemis End Moraine, where the receding glacier dumped much of its rocky load. Here the valley is gorge-like, dramatically deep and narrow.

Dog-tooth Violet and Dutchman's Breeches,
photo by Carl Kurtz

The Iowa River Greenbelt is home to a variety of plants and animals in aquatic, grassland, savanna/shrub, riparian and woodland habitats. Some sections contain rare and endangered plant and animal species, including the northern monkshood plant, bald eagles and three species of freshwater mussels. The area is also home to the only sharp-shinned hawk nest found in Iowa for many decades. The black-billed cuckoo, wood thrush, bobolink, and even cerulean warbler and pileated woodpecker are found within the various habitats. Meanwhile, chorus frogs and cricket frogs are often heard in the area wetlands.

Lower Pine Lake, photo by Carl Kurtz

Some parts of the Greenbelt, especially the deepest sections, contain small pockets of plants and trees like those located in the "driftless" area of northeast Iowa, including white pine, paper birch, yellow birch and other plants. The trees located in the Greenbelt provide brilliant displays of color when the leaves change in the fall.

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