The Iowa Driftless & Great River Road
Bluffs Above the Mississippi
Scenic river bluffs, small towns, and rolling Driftless hills along the Mississippi.
At a glance · 5 reasons to go
Why The Iowa Driftless & Great River Road.
Drive the Great River Road along the Mississippi.
Bluff-top overlooks and eagle watching.
Charming river towns and ancient effigy mounds.
Rolling, unglaciated Driftless scenery.
An underrated heartland road trip.
Read the full story
Northeast Iowa's Driftless country defies the flat-state cliché — wooded bluffs tower over the Mississippi, the Great River Road links pretty river towns, and ancient effigy mounds dot the heights. A quietly gorgeous drive.
Read this before you go
安全
Safety Overview
The Iowa Driftless & Great River Road
STUB: Add overall safety summary for The Iowa Driftless & Great River Road.
Emergency Contacts — Save These Now
- Police
- TODO
- Medical
- TODO
Reviewed: 2026-06-06
If It’s Safe Travel… Travel Well.
Before You Travel
Five minutes of preparation means your whole group has emergency numbers, hospitals and your GPS location available offline — no WiFi needed when it matters most.
Traveling to The Iowa Driftless & Great River Road with a pet?
🇺🇸 United States has specific entry rules — microchip, rabies, permits and more. See exactly what your pet needs before you book.
See the pet travel rules →