Explore Glacial Trail Scenic Byway with the Iowa Byways Passport

The Glacial Trail Scenic Byway is a 36-mile loop drive that takes some surprising turns through O'Brien, Clay, Buena Vista and Cherokee counties and the rural towns of Peterson and Linn Grove. 

Traveling through the corners of these four counties, the byway boasts more than its share of parks and wildlife areas. Some are rich with cultural history and natural resources. Visitors will find park structures built during the Civilian Conservation Corps era and log cabins from pioneer days. 

​Surging glacial meltwaters carved deep into soft glacial drift to form the middle Little Sioux River valley. Today, steep, unplowed prairie-cloaked hills flank this meandering river and forested and farmed valley. Glacial Trail Scenic Byway showcases this unique landscape.  Nature, scenery, archaeology, and history intersect in the Glacial Trail Byway corridor, creating a compelling experience for byway travelers.

Click the image to sign up for the Iowa Byways Passpot

The Iowa Scenic Byway Passport is new this year with an emphasis on Local Legends and fun new prizes, including limited edition Local Legend collectable cards. Now you can enjoy the beauty of Iowa’s scenic byways while learning about the history, people and places along the byways. Who knows, you might even become a Legend yourself!

​It’s free to sign up and the more locations along the byways you visit, the more points you earn. Earn enough points and you can use them to secure a packet of 14 limited edition Local Legend Trading Cards.

Glacial Trail Scenic Byway posters are available at the Prairie Heritage Center

During the month of February, travelers on the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway can pick up a free poster of the byway featuring its iconic bison. Stop at the Prairie Heritage Center near Peterson or the Sanford Museum in Cherokee, show your Byways Passport on your phone, and you will receive a free Glacial Trail Scenic Byway poster!

Make sure you also stop at the five Local Legends locations on the byway. Check in at each site to earn points. Those points can be redeemed for a set of 14 collectible cards featuring Local Legends from all 14 of Iowa's scenic byways.

The five Local Legends locations on the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway are listed below.

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