Iowa has 11 scenic byways mapped in the US Department of Transportation data, together covering about 1,190 miles of road. The longest is the Great River Road, running roughly 321 mapped miles. This interactive map plots every Iowa scenic byway — filter by designation, search any town or address, and click a route for its details.
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Scenic Byways
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Miles Mapped
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All-American Roads
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National Scenic Byways
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Route data: US Department of Transportation scenic byway layers (geo.dot.gov). Location search by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Routes show the mapped corridor and are for reference only – check current conditions before travelling.
How to use the Iowa scenic byways map
The map opens framed on Iowa. Each line is one scenic byway, coloured by designation. Zoom with the scroll wheel, click any route to see its name, designation, administering agency and mapped length, and use the designation checkboxes or the name filter to focus on the routes you want. Some byways continue across the state line — their full mapped length is shown.
Scenic byways in Iowa
Every scenic byway recorded in Iowa, with its designation and mapped length. Routes that run into neighbouring states are listed at their full length.
Scenic byway
Designation
Mapped length
Great River Road
National Scenic Byway
321 mi
Loess Hills Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
224 mi
Western Skies Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
133 mi
River Bluffs Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
113 mi
Driftless Area Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
93 mi
Historic Hills Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
84 mi
Grant Wood Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
75 mi
Iowa Valley Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
74 mi
Delaware Crossing Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
36 mi
Old O’Brien Glacial Trail Scenic Byway
State Scenic Byway
35 mi
Great River Road – Missouri
Local / Other
0 mi
Byway designations in Iowa
National Scenic Byway × 2 — a federally recognised route with outstanding qualities
State Scenic Byway × 8 — designated by the state scenic byway programme
Local / Other × 1 — a locally designated or back-country route
Planning a scenic drive in Iowa
Start with the headline routes. The state’s National Scenic Byways — Great River Road, Loess Hills Scenic Byway — are a strong starting point. Check seasonal conditions before you travel — mountain and back-country byways can close in winter. For overnight stops along the way, see our Iowa campgrounds map, and for a different pace try the Iowa cycling map.
Route data comes from the US Department of Transportation scenic byway layers at geo.dot.gov, harmonised into a single dataset. It reflects what the transportation agencies publish and may lag local designations. Routes show the mapped corridor and are for planning only — check current road conditions before you travel.
Iowa scenic byways: frequently asked questions
How many scenic byways does Iowa have?
This map shows 11 scenic byways in Iowa, covering about 1,190 mapped miles.
What is the longest scenic byway in Iowa?
The Great River Road is the longest, at roughly 321 mapped miles.
Does Iowa have any All-American Roads?
Iowa has no All-American Roads in this dataset, but it does have 2 National Scenic Byways and a wider set of state-designated routes.
I'm Daniel O'Donohue, the voice and creator behind The MapScaping Podcast ( A podcast for the geospatial community ). With a professional background as a geospatial specialist, I've spent years harnessing the power of spatial to unravel the complexities of our world, one layer at a time.
