Hiking the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway: Cherokee County

(photo credit: Cherokee County Conservation)

​If you want to discover Iowa's agricultural roots, Native American history, and glacier-carved landscape, the Glacial Trail Scenic Byways is the perfect weekend escape. This week's Hiking the Byways series takes us to Cherokee County on the GTSB. Most of the outdoor recreation areas are managed Cherokee County Conservation and located on or near the Little Sioux River. There are four parks with maintained trails; Martin's Access is the closest, while Silver Sioux Recreation Area and River Road Conservation Area are a half-hour drive southwest of the scenic byway. Larson Lake is a twenty-minute drive south of the byway. There are several habitat areas managed by Cherokee Conservation that offer off-trail hiking, such as Brewer Prairie and T.H. Steele Prairie State Preserve.

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Martin's Access

​Manager: Cherokee County Conservation
Location: 42.85416, -95.46208
Acres: 304
Trails: 5.3 miles of foot trails
Camping: Yes (primitive, modern, & cabins)
Amenities: Water pumps & pit toilets
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: Yes

Click to download the PDF map

Martin Area consists of 300 acres of beautiful river valley habitat in northeastern Cherokee County, just off the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway. The trails wind through woodlands and prairies, crossing small streams, and bringing hikers and riders near to the banks of the Little Sioux River. Enjoy beautiful views and the quiet of birdsong and the wind in the trees.

Little Sioux River from Martin's Access

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Silver Sioux Recreation Area

Manager: Cherokee County Conservation
Location: 42.65056, -95.58962​
Acres: 160
Trails: 3 miles
Camping: Yes (modern & primitive)
Amenities: Water & modern restrooms
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hunting: Yes

​Silver Sioux Recreation Area is a 160-acre recreational park found on Silver Sioux Road, northeast of Quimby, Iowa, near the confluence of Silver Creek and the Little Sioux River. The land was previously a dairy farm owned by the Roy Little family, and is now one of the county’s most developed recreation areas.

Click to download the PDF map

With 3 miles of trails, you can easily get enthralled within the beauty of the woodland and prairies. You will see wildlife, wildflowers, mushrooms, and more! Travel over our 2 swinging bridges and peek over the edge at the creek running below you!

Photo credit: Watchable Wildlife of Northwest Iowa

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River Road Conservation Area

Manager: Cherokee County Conservation
Location: 42.65805, -95.59641
Phone: (712) 225-6709
Acres: 60
Trails: 1.5 miles
Camping: No, but there is a rental cabin
Amenities: None
Dog-friendly: Yes, on leash
Hunting: Yes

​​Donated in 2018 by Tom and Karen Nelson, this 60 acre area provides trails, ponds for kayaking and fishing, cross country skiing, and hunting. This area is an old gravel pit with mostly grasslands and some timbered areas on the river side. It has 1.5 miles of trail and connects to Pearse Access.

Also on this property, you will find Uncle Tom's Cabin, which is a riverside cabin.

Click to download the PDF map

Rental cabin at River Road Conservation Area

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Redtail Ridge Habitat Area

​Manager: Cherokee County Conservation
Location: 42.67689, -95.56787
Phone: (712) 225-6709
Acres: 217
Trails: 1 mile mowed trail
Camping: No
Amenities: None
​Dog-friendly: Yes, on leash
Hunting: Yes

​Red Tail Ridge Habitat Area was purchased by the county in 1980 with assistance from Wildlife Habitat Stamp funds. Portions of the area lie on both the east and west sides of the Little Sioux River south of County Road C44 approximately 4 miles south of Cherokee, Iowa. The area is undeveloped and open to hunting during all state regulated hunting seasons​

Click for a larger version

Approximately 1 mile of trails are mowed and maintained at Red Tail Ridge. The trails are popular among birdwatchers, hikers and cross-country skiers. The northern portion of the area is a former gravel pit containing small, shallow wetlands and grasslands that provide excellent pheasant hunting. The remainder of the area is flood plain timber, containing many silver maples, cottonwoods and walnut trees, and upland timber, mostly oak-hickory forest with hackberry and elm. Several small prairie and savanna remnants are found near the ridge top on the eastern boundary.

Trail access is only available off of the C44 parking area. Parking is available off of C44 and 585th St.

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Larson Lake

Manager: Cherokee County Conservation
Location: 42.72941, -95.38773
Acres: 12
Trails: Short mowed trail
Camping: Yes (primitive)
Amenities: Vault toilet, picnic shelters
Dog-friendly: Yes, on leash
Hunting: No

​Larson Lake is a former gravel pit converted to a 5 acre lake within this 12 acre recreational park east of Aurelia. Along the east and south sides of the lake, you will find a short mowed trail.​

Click to download the PDF map

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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 (seth.brooks@goldenhillsrcd.org).