Celebrate Iowa's Outdoors Day next week

Golden Hills is joining 50+ organizations at Celebrate Iowa's Outdoors Day next Tuesday at the State Capitol!

Iowa’s parks, trails, wildlife, soil and water are all part of our quality of life and cause for celebration! On Tuesday, March 24, come to the Iowa State Capitol to connect with legislators and meet other Iowans passionate about protecting spaces for outdoor recreation and caring for our natural resources.

The day will feature:

• A complimentary lunch

• Interactive displays

• Engaging speakers

• The opportunity to share your own motivations for celebration

• Tips on how to connect with legislators and be an effective advocate

This is a free event, but registration is appreciated. Register here and view the itinerary for the day, which includes panels with legislators and community leaders. 

Begins at 10am — come for any or all of the day. All are welcome!

Loess Hills Pasque Flower Walk on March 29

Join Golden Hills & Iowa Prairie Network for a walk to see the first-blooming flowers at a remnant Loess Hills prairie!



Loess Hills Pasque Flower Walk

Sunday, March 29

11:00am-noon

Loess Hills State Forest - Pisgah Unit

Event is free & open to the public (all ages) but donations are appreciated.

We will be walking on rough and steep terrain, so dress appropriately for that and any kind of weather!



Park at the old farmstead at 204 Jaguar Ave. just east of Pisgah.

Submit your photos for our Loess Hills birding & hiking guides!

We have received some awesome photos for our upcoming hiking & birding guides for the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway!

We are still accepting submissions, so submit your Loess Hills hiking photos here and birding photos here.

The guides will be ready later this year, but check out our current Loess Hills Hiking Guide for ideas on places to hike.

Green Heron by Randall D. Williams

Loess Hills trail mapping project featured in Pottawattamie County Routes episode

Golden Hills Project Coordinator Seth Brooks recently joined Todd Studer with Pottawattamie County Routes to talk about our hiking trail mapping project. We've hiked more than 100 miles using 360 degree cameras to create trail imagery for Google Street View and a new printed hiking guide.

The conversation highlights unique trails, hidden spots, and why the Loess Hills remain one of the most special landscapes in the Midwest. Watch the video below or open in a new tab here.

Save the date for the inaugural Pedal for the Prairie

Pedal for the Prairie Bike Ride

Sunday, September 13

1:00-4:00pm

Glenwood Archeological State Preserve

Bike ride, seedballs, monarch tagging, prairie seed collecting, & more!



More details coming soon!

Outdoor supplies available for rent

Did you know that Golden Hills has outdoor recreation equipment and supplies for rent? Supplies include tents, camp chairs, and more.



Find the inventory and pricing list here.

Support Golden Hills with WanderLoess swag!

Head over to our Raygun shop to purchase WanderLoess bison shirts, mugs, hats, and more, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit our mission of collaboratively developing and leading community, conservation, and cultural initiatives to improve our quality of life in rural western Iowa.

You can also donate to Golden Hills at goldenhillsrcd.org/donate.

Thank you for your support!