81 photo locations in Iowa — 27 state parks, 12 ghost towns, 9 botanical gardens, 9 covered bridges and more — plus 4 National Park Service sites and golden hour times for 25 cities. Milky Way core season runs March–September (best in June). Aurora needs about Kp 6.0+ in central Iowa. Wildflowers peak around July.
Photo locations
81
NPS sites
4
Milky Way season
Mar–Sep
Peak bloom
July
Aurora
Kp 6.0+
Top photo locations in Iowa
Ghost TownElkport
Mountain PeakHawkeye Point
Ghost TownLittleport
Ghost TownSexton
Botanical GardenDubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Covered BridgeRoseman Covered Bridge
Ghost TownQueen City
Botanical GardenBickelhaupt Arboretum
Botanical GardenIowa Arboretum
LakeClear Lake
LakeWest Okoboji Lake
Covered BridgeHolliwell Covered Bridge
Browse by type
State Parks27Ghost Towns12Botanical Gardens9Covered Bridges9Scenic Viewpoints8Lakes5National Wildlife Refuges4Caves3Mountain Peaks1Fire Lookouts1Waterfalls1Natural Arches1
National Park Service sites in Iowa
IAEffigy Mounds National Monument
IAHerbert Hoover National Historic Site
IA/IDLewis & Clark National Historic Trail
IL/IAMormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Golden hour in Iowa cities
Des Moines, IA
Cedar Rapids, IA
Davenport, IA
SCSioux City, IA
ICIowa City, IA
Waterloo, IA
AMAmes, IA
West Des Moines, IA
CBCouncil Bluffs, IA
DUDubuque, IA
ANAnkeny, IA
Urbandale, IA
Night sky
Darkest skies in Iowa
State ParkBlack Hawk State Park
State ParkLacey-Keosauqua State Park
Scenic ViewpointChicken Ridge Scenic Overlook Park
Scenic ViewpointHill Little Sioux Overlook
State ParkBackbone State Park
State ParkLake Darling State Park