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Southwest IowaGolden Hills RC&D's official territory is an eight-county region two counties east and four counties north from the southwestern corner of the state. This includes Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties.
Some of our projects reach beyond these borders. The Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, Western Skies Scenic Byway, Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, Hungry Canyons Alliance, and the Loess Hills Alliance each extend outside of this eight-county region. |
Southwest Iowa covers 3,016,320 acres (4,712 square miles) and is home to 183,381 people (2010 U.S. Census). Our region includes three distinct Iowa landforms. The Missouri Alluvial Plain along the state border with Nebraska to the west is the wide, flat floodplain of the Mighty Missouri. The Loess Hills are steep bluffs of glacial till that run parallel to the Missouri River Valley. The Southern Iowa Drift Plain consists of rolling hills just to the east of the Loess Hills.
The region is largely rural and agricultural. Council Bluffs, in Pottawattamie County, is the largest city, with nearly 60,000 residents. Atlantic, Clarinda, Glenwood, Harlan, Red Oak, and Shenandoah each have between 5,000 and 7,500. All other communities are smaller than 5,000, including many with just a few hundred and a number of unincorporated communities.
Many state, county, and city parks and trails are located throughout the region, offering a plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities. Hunting, fishing, foraging, hiking, biking, paddling, and horseback riding are just a few of the activities enjoyed in our public places.
The region is largely rural and agricultural. Council Bluffs, in Pottawattamie County, is the largest city, with nearly 60,000 residents. Atlantic, Clarinda, Glenwood, Harlan, Red Oak, and Shenandoah each have between 5,000 and 7,500. All other communities are smaller than 5,000, including many with just a few hundred and a number of unincorporated communities.
Many state, county, and city parks and trails are located throughout the region, offering a plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities. Hunting, fishing, foraging, hiking, biking, paddling, and horseback riding are just a few of the activities enjoyed in our public places.