Hitchcock Nature Center

Current Hours (Winter | December 1st through March 31st):

Modern restrooms at the Loess Hills Lodge are available 365 days a year from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

• Monday to Thursday: Closed 
• Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Gallery Closures: (restrooms are still available)

• Christmas Eve (12/24)
• Christmas Day (12/25)
• New Year's Eve (12/31)
• New Year's Day (1/1)

The Loess Hills Lodge is seated at the highest point in the park (which means you’ll have to hike uphill to reach it!). It features park restrooms, a gallery and gift shop (hours vary based on season), an observation deck and tower, a back patio with picnic tables, meeting rooms, and park staff office space. Swing by sometime when the gallery is open to learn about the Loess Hills, purchase a permit or something from the gift shop, and chat with one of our amazing welcome desk volunteers!

Please note: Trails are NOT open to bikes, horses, or ATVs.

Hitchcock Nature Center offers a 10-mile unpaved trail system that provides one-of-a-kind opportunities for hiking, trail running, birdwatching, snowshoeing, and backcountry camping. Trails network together so visitors can be creative to enjoy any length of hike they desire. Due to the rugged terrain of the Loess Hills, the trails vary from easy ridgeline walks to difficult climbs. 

Trail maps can be found at Fox Run Ridge, Badger Ridge, Iowa West Foundation Equal Access Nature Trail/Boardwalk and Hohneke Trailheads or at the Loess Hills Lodge.

Click here to view a trail map.

What to bring: Water, tall socks, close-toed shoes or boots, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and insect repellent during the summer months.

Helpful Information:

• The Loess Hills Lodge is located at the highest point in the park, and there is no parking immediately outside the lodge. Visitors will need to walk uphill to reach the lodge and overlook tower and deck.
• The park speed limit is 15 MPH.
• Some roads are one lane. You may occasionally need to make room or wait for drivers who are entering or leaving the area.
• ADA parking stalls are available at the westernmost end of the parking lot at the Loess Hills Lodge and at the Iowa West Foundation Equal Access Nature Trail/Boardwalk Trail. 
• Please do not drive past "Authorized Vehicles Only" signage. Vehicle entry beyond this point is reserved for county and authorized vehicles only and public parking is NOT available. Thank you!

Main Park Entrance: 

Six parking areas are available as you follow the park's main road leading to the Loess Hills Lodge.

• A cemented parking lot is available at the playground.
• A gravel parking area is available at Moonseed Trailhead.
• A partial gravel/paved parking area with ADA parking and a covered picnic shelter is available at the Iowa West Foundation Equal Access Nature Trail (named Boardwalk Trail on trail maps). 
• A large paved overflow parking lot is available north of the Natural Areas Management workshop.
• A small cemented parking area is available at a scenic overlook and picnic area just west of the Natural Areas Management workshop.
• The park's main paved parking lot with three ADA parking stalls is available just east of the Loess Hills Lodge.

Campground:

Two gravel parking areas are available in the upper campground loops, as well as parking for overnight camping visitors in the lower cabin and tent camping loops.

Please note: Backcountry campers may want to park at either the campground or a parking area through the park's main entrance depending on your campsite location. Hikers looking for easy access to Hohneke Trailhead should park in a campground parking area.

We love providing an area for you and your pup to enjoy the outdoors! With that, please make sure you and your pet respect park property and other visitors’ experience.

Rules:

• Dogs must be leashed AT ALL TIMES.
• Pick up all pet waste and dispose of it properly in a park trash can. 
  • Make sure to bring pet waste bags with you.
  • Trash cans are NOT available along trails. Be prepared to carry pet waste with you until you reach a parking area or the Loess Hills Lodge. Better yet, clip or tie it to your pup’s harness and let them do the work!
  • Pet waste changes the ecology of the park’s precious loess soil, flora, fauna, and water and leaves behind harmful bacteria.
  • Owners who leave pet waste behind are subject to ticketing by park rangers of up to $810.
• Certified service animals are welcome inside the Loess Hills Lodge and cabins with their owner. All other pets need to stay outdoors, thank you!
• Pets are NOT permitted in cabins.

Please note that all campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To get an idea of how many sites are currently available, please call the park office. Campers do not need to pay park entry fees, but any visitors do unless they are a current Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation member.

Campground Office: 712-328-5833

Get back to your roots and enjoy a rustic evening tucked away in the Loess Hills!

RV Sites (First-come, first-served; Non-reservable)

• $25 per night 
• 17 sites in total
• Amenities include: 50 amp electric service, water hookups and hydrants, shower house with flush toilets, picnic table, fire ring, satellite restrooms (non-flush), dump station, wifi

Tent Sites (First-come, first-served; Non-reservable)

• $10 per night 
• 9 sites in total
• Amenities include: Satellite restrooms (non-flush), shower facilities nearby, water hydrant located near restrooms, picnic table, fire ring, wifi

Modern Group Tent Site

• $50 per night
• Fits six 4-person tents
• Amenities include: Satellite restrooms (non-flush), shower facilities nearby, water hydrant located near restrooms, picnic table, fire ring, wifi

Backcountry Camping Sites

• $10 per night
• 7 primitive sites in total (varying capacity and distance from parking lots and lodge)
• Amenities may include: Fire ring, camping pad
• Hammock camping options available at Shea Way and Heritage sites
• Materials must be carried in and out (no wheeled vehicles, coolers, luggage, or wagons permitted)

The Loess Hills of Iowa are a globally significant landform that were formed by glaciers and winds carrying glacial till (rocks and other materials ground into fine silt) thousands of years ago. Eventually, periods of erosion sculpted the land into the surprisingly steep ridges and rolling hills we see today. While loess is found throughout the world, there are only two places where it reaches deposits of 200-feet deep or more - in southwestern Iowa and the hills at Hitchcock Nature Center and in Shaanxi, China.

This area of the Loess Hills harbors remnant prairie and woodland systems that not only are beautiful, but also protect water quality, support pollinators, and prevent erosion. With less than 0.1% of remnant prairie remaining in the state, it’s important to protect what little is left. Due to steep topography, areas in the Loess Hills are generally not farmable or able to be developed, making it a great area for recreation and even skiing in the middle of the Great Plains!

All cabin reservations must be made three days in advance and booked online. Pets and smoking are prohibited in cabins.

Requirements: Fridays and Saturdays must be booked together as well as holiday weekends. Please click below or scroll to the bottom of this page for cabin details and to make your reservation today. Questions? Please call the park office. Cabin guests do not need to pay park entry fees, but any additional visitors do unless they are a current Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation member.

Camping Cabins

$50 per night | Sleeps up to 5 | Restrooms and shower facilities nearby | Water hydrant located outside

• Blazing Star Cabin
• Bur Oak Cabin
• Goldenrod Cabin

Modern Cabins

Seasonal Rates | Modern Amenities

• Crescent Ridge Cabin | Sleeps 13

From September through December, birds-of-prey enthusiasts gather on top of Hitchcock Nature Center's observation tower to observe and count thousands of eagles, hawks, and other raptors as they migrate south. The broad expanse of the adjacent Missouri River Valley, combined with prevailing westerly winds that move through the Loess Hills, creates the perfect conditions for migrating raptors as they journey south. This “hawk highway” sees thousands of birds each year and our team of volunteers is there to record their numbers, contributing to a database of valuable raptor research.

Visitors to Hitchcock Nature Center are welcome to climb the tower and visit with volunteers to learn more, but we do ask that you remember that this is an active scientific research project. Please note that all equipment located on the tower is restricted to HawkWatch use only.

Learn more about Hitchcock HawkWatch and read our annual report.

Please note: Hitchcock Nature Center does not close during its strictly managed deer hunting season. The public is encouraged to stay informed of Hitchcock’s deer hunting season dates and make their own decision about coming out to visit us during that time. Hikers who do join us during hunting season are encouraged to wear bright-colored clothing and stay on trails, and the limited number of hunters are aware that hikers may be present.

Pottawattamie Conservation’s Natural Areas Management program manages an annual deer hunt at Hitchcock Nature Center to maintain a healthy deer herd population in the area. This is a strictly managed hunt that varies from year to year and allows a limited number of hunters that must undergo training from park staff.

For information about an application, rules and regulations, or any other questions about hunting at Hitchcock, please contact Jeremy Yost, Natural Resource Technician, at 712-328-5749 or email him at jeremy.yost@pottcounty-ia.gov.

There is so much fun to be had at Hitchcock Nature Center! Please see below for details:

• Adventure Packs
• Archery
• Geocaching & Earthcaching
• Playground
• Educational Programs (all ages)
• Snowshoe Rental

Adventure Packs

Adventure Packs are great for helping kids (and adults!) interact with their environment while they are exploring the park. These backpacks include animal cards, track identification cards, a cloud shape chart, binoculars, kaleidoscope, bug box, compass, thermometer, and nature books. Packs are free to check out from the lodge during gallery hours, but visitors will be asked to fill out an information form and leave a form of collateral (either car keys or a credit card). Children ages 18 or under must be accompanied by an adult for use. Have fun out there!

Archery

Practice your aim amidst the breathtaking Loess Hills! The park’s walk-in archery range is open to the public during regular park hours. The area also features a shelter and picnic table available for public use that provide a wonderful place to have a picnic or spend an afternoon. 

For our guests with disabilities or mobility challenges we are happy to facilitate a trip to the archery range. Please call 712-545-3283 for more information.

• Visitors must bring their own equipment
• You are welcome to bring your own targets
• Field point arrows only; No broadheads

Geocaching & Earthcaching

Geocache: Bring your own GPS unit or borrow one from the Loess Hills Lodge during gallery hours to begin your technological quest to find two geocaches placed within the park! Follow your compass as it leads you along trails in search of a hidden cache; once you find the cache, sign the logbook and record your adventure and take one of the tokens left by prior visitors. Just remember to leave something for others to find in return! For more information, or to log your cache online, log onto www.geocaching.com. 

Earthcache: Earthcaching is designed to introduce explorers to significant landforms and breathtaking vistas. While it offers no treasure box waiting to be discovered at the end of the trail, the journey itself becomes a treasure to behold as you discover someplace new! To find Earthcache coordinates in the park, click here or visit the Loess Hills Lodge Welcome Desk to check out a GPS unit and choose from six destinations.

Educational Programs

From Intro to Backpacking, to guided nature hikes, to monarch butterfly tagging and more, Hitchcock Nature Center hosts several events each month that cater to every level of outdoor enthusiast! Find the perfect program for you or your family today on our calendar page.

Are you a teacher interested in booking a field trip or someone looking for a special program for your group? Contact our Environmental Education team here.

Snowshoe Rental

Please note: There must be a minimum of 4 to 6 inches of snow on the ground for snowshoe rentals.

Explore the Loess Hills in a whole new way on your own snowshoe adventure! Snowshoes are available for guest rental at the Loess Hills Lodge at Hitchcock Nature Center during regular winter gallery hours and must be returned before the gallery closes. Click HERE for more information.

• Rental fee: $6 per day
• Availability: First-come, first-served. Snowshoes are not reservable.
• Renters must read and complete a rental agreement, pay the rental fee & leave an item for collateral. Accepted items are keys, photo ID, or a credit card.