Take a classic road trip through Iowa

 A great way to experience Iowa's natural beauty, history and culture is to travel along Iowa's scenic and heritage byways in a car, on a motorcycle or on a bike. 

Jefferson Highway Heritage Byway | Historic Auto Trail
This historic north-south U.S. border-to-border route was originally envisioned in 1916 as part of a national corridor for car and freight travel as the auto age developed and before the Interstate system was initiated. The route stretches from New Orleans, Louisiana to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

In Iowa the byway runs between Northwood and Lamoni, roughly along U.S. Highways 65 and 69. From the Top of Iowa Welcome Center, take State Highway 105 seven miles east to Northwood. Read more about the history of the Jefferson Highway here.

Intersection with the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway
The Jefferson Highway intersects with the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway at the Reed-Niland Corner in Colo. The Lincoln Highway was established in 1913 and was America’s first transcontinental improved highway beginning at Times Square in New York City and ending in San Francisco.

Iowa Byways Official Travel Guide
To explore Iowa's other scenic and historic routes, request or download the Iowa Byways Official Travel Guide. It includes histories of the byways, maps and interesting details about each route.

Iowa Scenic Byway Passport

The Iowa Scenic Byway Passport is your ticket to discovering the beauty of Iowa’s miles of scenic byways. You’ll experience small town America, diverse landscapes, historic sites and unique restaurants, shops and attractions. It’s free to sign up and the more locations along the byways you visit, the more deals, discounts and prizes you’ll unlock!