Hiking the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway: O'Brien County

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. This 36-mile corridor encompasses a landscape like no other in the region.

The byway travels through four counties in northwestern Iowa: Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, and O'Brien. Today, let's explore the hiking opportunities in O'Brien County. The publicly accessible land here is managed by one of two agencies: O'Brien County Conservation and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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​Prairie Heritage Center

​Manager: O'Brien County Conservation
GPS: 42.93459, -95.41830​
Trails: 5 miles
Camping: No
Amenities: Visitor center, restrooms, water
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: No

Click to download the PDF version

The purpose of the Prairie Heritage Center is to provide environmental education as it relates to the prairie and the county, to preserve and protect our prairie heritage, and to encourage economic development with regards to recreation and historic exploration. Every season of the year is a great one on the prairie!

The Prairie Heritage Center opened its doors to the public on November 28, 2006. Over 100,000 people have visited the center since that time. They have come from all 50 states and over 26 foreign countries.

It is a great place to enjoy educational and interactive displays, hike the trails, savor the wildflowers, and engage in bird and wildlife watching. Visit the Prairie Heritage Center and check out all the things to do!

text source: O'Brien County Conservation

Bison at the Prairie Heritage Center (photo by O'Brien County Conservation)

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Waterman Prairie Wildlife
Management Area Complex

​Manager: Iowa DNR
GPS: Multiple parking areas; refer to the map below
​Trails: No official trails but hiking is allowed throughout. There is a trail that leads to a bluff overlooking the Hanging Valley and near Old Dutch Fred's gravesite.
Camping: Primitive
Amenities: None
Dogs: Yes, on leash (no dogs during the nesting season from March 15 to July 15.​​)
Hunting: Yes

Extending north along Waterman Creek from the junction with the Little Sioux River, and south of Highway 10 along on the west side of the river, the Waterman Prairie Wildlife Area Complex preserves 1,800 acres of oak savannas and pristine prairies.

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The section of Waterman Prairie south of Highway 10 offers an accessible prairie experience for byway visitors. A parking lot on Wilson Avenue, 1½ miles south of Highway 10, leads to a trail that meanders through prairie-covered ridges with spectacular vistas of the Little Sioux River valley. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is restoring the prairie to its original plant community.​

​A trail begins off Wilson Ave (south of Highway 10) and passes the Hanging Valley, a distinctive geologic feature resulting from the rapid outflow of Glacial Lake Spencer during the Pleistocene era. This is a higher valley of the Little Sioux River abandoned about 13,000 years ago when rushing meltwater changed the course of the river and cut down to the present valley floor.

A grave marker for Dutch Fred near the trail identifies the bluff-top burial site of Frederick Feldman on the 80-acre homestead he established in 1868.​

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Waterman Prairie (photo by Lance Brisbois)

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Dog Creek Park
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​Manager: O'Brien County Conservation
GPS: 42.93668, -95.47269​
Size: 110 acres
Camping: Yes, 
Amenities: Modern toilets, water
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: No

​Dog Creek's breathtaking view of the lake and valley is something to see.  It’s located along the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway.

Dog Creek Park is located 2 miles SE of Sutherland, Iowa on Iowa Highway 10 and 1/2 mile south on Warbler Avenue (Cty Rd M12) and placed along the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway.​

Dog Creek Park (photo by Lance Brisbois)

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​Mill Creek Park

​​Manager: O'Brien County Conservation
GPS: 42.98499, -95.66740​
Size: 139 acres
Trails: 5 miles
Camping: Yes
Amenities: Modern toilets, water
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: No

​Mill Creek Park is one of the highlights of O'Brien County.  The park offers a variety of activities for the whole family throughout the year!

Click to download the PDF version

There is something for every outdoor lover at Mill Creek State Park including camping, swimming, hiking, a playground, electric boating, picnicking, and even cabin rentals. Fishing is also a popular activity, giving anglers a chance to catch largemouth bass, sunfish, channel catfish, crappie and yellow perch.
Mill Creek Park is located just 1/2 mile east of Paullina on Iowa Highway 10.​

Mill Creek Park features groomed cross-country ski trails in winter.

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Tjossem Park

​​Manager: O'Brien County Conservation
GPS: 43.06889, -95.61729
Size: 19 acres
Trails: Hiking that connects to Primghar
Camping: Yes
Amenities: Outdoor shelter areas, pit toilets, water
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: No

​This remote camp location will let you be one with nature. Tjossem Park is located 1 mile south and 1/2 mile east of Primghar.

text source: O'Brien County Conservation​

Tjossem Park (photo by O'Brien County Conservation)

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​McCormack Area

​​Manager: O'Brien County Conservation
GPS: 42.96143, -95.42734
Size: 21 acres
Trails: No official hiking trails but open to foot traffic
Camping: No
Amenities: None
Dogs: Contact O'Brien County Conservation for confirmation
Hunting: No

21 acres of remnant prairie donated by Francis McCormack in 1987 for public benefit and pleasure. The rolling hills are covered with tall grasses, shrubs and some small trees. The prairie is home to several hundred native plant species and pollinators.

McCormack Area

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Hiking the Byways is a regular series by Golden Hills RC&D that features publicly accessible lands open to hiking on the three scenic byways in western Iowa that Golden Hills RC&D coordinates: Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, and Western Skies Scenic Byway. Each Friday a blog post covers hiking areas in one county on one of the aforementioned byways. For questions about hiking on the byways, contact Seth Brooks ([email protected]).