Hawkeye Point – A Tribute to the Dwindling Good

Welcome to Hawkeye Point – Iowa’s tallest!

• Summit: Hawkeye Point, Iowa (1,670′)
• Route: Parking lot to summit
• Distance: ~75 feet
• Vertical Gain: ~3-4 feet
• “Climbers”: Zambo + Family
• Date: 6/19/25

When we pulled off of state highway 60 in Northwest Iowa to visit Hawkeye Point, I remarked to Katie that I should write a “trip report” about what were going to experience. I had every intention of doing so as a funny way to mock the high point of the state of Iowa. But as I sit now on the other side of our visit, I actually found tremendous value in the stop.

This little “summit” illustrated for me a few very simple, but very important life lessons about expectations, what makes a place special, and how there are still some genuinely good things left in the world.

So, this is my short recap of a most surprising and delightful little “summit.”

Hawkeye Point as seen from highway 60. This must be one of the most convenient state high points of them all as it is, quite literally, less than a quarter mile off the main highway nearby.

I have driven from Colorado to Minnesota (and back) more times than I care to count to visit family in the twin cities. But it was only a few years ago that I realized the Iowa state high point was directly off the highway on our usual route.

I’m not really much of a highpointer myself (usually doing my best to leave some healthy separation between myself and anything resembling a LOJ diehard). But still, I’ve unintentionally done a number of state highpoints at this stage in my mountaineering journey. They have always been fun. And I certainly always appreciate a good summit view.

So, after 12 hours driving through eastern Colorado (surprisingly depressing), Nebraska (mind numbing as always), and Iowa (far superior to Nebraska in virtually every way, IMHO) with three children, one wife, four bikes, 18,000 snacks, and enough supplies crammed into our Tahoe to make an early American homesteader proud, we figured a quick sunset stop at Hawkeye Point would be the perfect way to stretch our legs and end the long travel day.

At the turn off to the farm and county park upon which Hawkeye Park sits. The enthusiasm was palpable.

We arrived just before sunset, right on the verge of the summer solstice. A few wandering parties were leaving as we unloaded, meaning we would have the whole place to ourselves.

And thus we departed on our summit expedition…which consisted of a 20 second walk to the marker and flags denoting the high point (an LOJ’er would undoubtedly still count this as a successful summit, and therefore so too am I).

Made it!

It was at this moment when my mockery reached its zenith, as I arrogantly looked down (quite literally) on this entire place.

But then something funny happened. I looked around. And when I did I noticed all kinds of surprisingly cool stuff at this little park.

You see, Hawkeye Point was once nothing more than a nondescript mark on some local farmer’s land. The Merrill and Donna Sterler family farmed this land for decades, always graciously welcoming the public to come visit the high point at the end of one of their barns. In 2008 they donated 1.6 acres to the county under the condition that it remain open to the public. A few years later a local conglomeration of community groups and local businesses purchased an additional 5.4 acres with the intention of turning the area into a welcome center, agricultural center, and museum about prairie life. A spacious campground was installed across the street just a few years ago to complete the efforts.

And I am pleased to report that they masterfully achieved their mission. What stands today is a testament to thoughtful planning, good ideas, and a genuine desire to highlight a relatively obscure, but very cool little piece of land.

Bored of their all-day task of staring at their screens (hey, what else are you gonna have kids do during a road trip through Nebraska??), my kids tore off on the wonderfully soft, green grass to explore the area and experience the full fruits of this community-led effort.

The heritage groups that set to build and preserve this place put in all kinds of thoughtful, cool features to explore. Like this old silo with an observation deck.

Bucolic panorama views from atop the silo. (Click to enlarge)

The highpoint marker itself, sans children. Those signs in the background point in the direction of every other state highpoint, along with the exact distance to each.

A license plate tribute wall from visitors from all 50 states.

Walter enthroned on Iowa’s tallest chair.

An American classic.

A more detailed history and notes about the area. (click to enlarge)

Beyond just highlighting the geographic features of the area, this county park also had a number of different exhibits and displays to show off the history of agriculture in Iowa. Iowa has some of the richest farmland of just about anywhere in the world. It was cool to explore some of these highlights as well.

The lovely Katie shows off the old barn, complete with interesting displays and information inside.

Rows of old field tools, ancient tractors, and vintage farm equipment lined the walkways of the historic park.

Historical information about the ancient tall grass prairies that used to dominate this area. Long before the European farmers arrived a significant portion of this entire continent was covered in these grasses. Almost none of it remains today.

As we strolled about the grounds I became more and more enamored with this little park. Each exhibit was an intentional, interesting, and informative slice of the America Prairie. Moreover, it was obvious just what a thoughtful endeavor setting this whole place up had been. Whether it was the farmers who donated the land, the local business who contributed financially, the 4h clubs that built the exhibits, or the support from the high pointing community to make it accessible, it was obvious that each group genuinely cared enough to make this a stop worth visiting. The most exciting summit in the world, this most certainly was not. But all these efforts were a testament to just how special a place can be if people take the time to build something and cherish it.

And that’s not even to mention the gorgeous setting. One of the longest days of the year was slowing coming to a close as we strolled about. A wet spring before a hot summer had left the entire area draped in shades of verdant green. Tall grass prairies lined the perimeter as rows and rows of corn and soy fields stretched away as far as the eye could see. Thick groves of Minnesota forest creeped in from the distant north. And the smell of rich earth and agriculture filled the pleasant, warm air.

All of this made me give though to the famous song, “America the Beautiful“. Coloradoans love to boast about how that was written from the top of Pikes Peak. But as I stood on Iowa’s summit in the beating heart of the country, I observed that this spot reflected more of the spirit of vintage Americana than barren Colorado ever could.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

These days those words, more often than, not seem like a cheesy, overly self-indulgent reflection on America. It’s no secret that most things these days in our country seem to be falling into rapid decline: our government, faith in institutions, the ability to live the American Dream, the environment itself, protections from oligarchy and corporate feudalism….the list goes on. Even here in Iowa they deal with looming threats like corporate takeovers, overly technologized farming, and evil agro companies. The point is, it has become far too easy to scoff at Katharine Lee Bates’ words these days. Far too easy to let the cynic take over in the face of the realities of our modern world. This is something I do almost all of the time.

But gazing out at the pastoral beauty of Hawkeye Point, enjoying the surprises of the park, reflecting on the good hearted people who made this possible, and basking in the summit sun, I felt my hardened heart towards the modern day crack just a little bit. There are still indeed some very good things left in this world. There are some beautiful spaces that can be successfully protected and cherished.  And they can still be cultivated, grown, and appreciated by the people who visit them.

The good of the world may be slowly dwindling away into darkness, but that makes it all the more important to cherish and appreciate the surprising success stories that still exist. As perhaps the most famous gardener in modern history once remarked, “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”

That’s damn right.

Thanks for reading along with my ramblings if you did. Happy climbing!

Goodbye, Hawkeye Point. Thanks for the lovely evening!