Visiting Iowa / Colorado: Hi. I'm planning a trip to Iowa (family) and then driving up to Colorado to the rockies and to Mesa Verde. Can anyone recommend any places in those locations...

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

Hi. I'm planning a trip to Iowa (family) and then driving up to Colorado to the rockies and to Mesa Verde. Can anyone recommend any places in those locations for wildlife and scenic photography? Thanks!

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

DaveHam wrote:

Hi. I'm planning a trip to Iowa (family) and then driving up to Colorado to the rockies and to Mesa Verde. Can anyone recommend any places in those locations for wildlife and scenic photography? Thanks!

What part of Iowa? If you are traveling I-80 going West from DesMoines, there are many things to take in, such as the Madison county covered bridges made famous by the movie with Clint Eastwood (Bridges of Madison County). John Waynes birthplace I believe is in Winterset (?) which is in Madison County, several other attractions in that area. Approximately 40 miles West of DesMoines there is an exit to Greenfield IA and a little over a mile south of the interstate is the Freedom Rock that is painted every year since 1999 with a tribute to the Armed Forces, awesome to behold!!!

Many other areas too numerous to mention without knowing where you will be traveling through.

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

Hi. I'm flying in to Chicago at the end of September then driving to Cedar Rapids for a few days with some family. After that I have ten days to explore with a camera. I want to go to Mesa Verde because I worked in Colorado for a while and never made it there. Apart from that I am interested in landscape and wildlife photography so anything that anyone can suggest would help. For those ten days I have no one else to worry about; have camera, will travel!

BobD21 Loc: Iowa USA

On the way to C R stop at Dubuque ,downtown has very interesting buildings and the SHOT TOWER , and for me anything along the MISSISSIPPI RIVER is interesting , then a few miles west of C R you can visit the AMANNA COLONIES for OLD WORLD craftsmanship and food , on to DES Moines downtown for the SCULPTURE PARK if you are there on Friday try G-MIGGS in Valley Junction for the best Clam Chowder west of Boston if you are near York Nebraska about Dinner time find a restaurant named CHANCES ARE if you like Fillet Mignon its pretty wide open from there to Colorado , the royal Gorge is worth seeing , the Town of Durango is very scenic along the Railroad . I hope this helps enjoy your trip .

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

On your way to Colorado on interstate 80 stop at the rest stop just west of Kearney NE and there is a neat sculpture on a pond that is fun to see and shoot. - Dave

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

BobD21 wrote:

On the way to C R stop at Dubuque ,downtown has ve... (show quote)

And a nice side trip for a day would be going North from Dubuque to McGregor and all the beautiful scenery along the way following the Mississippi....

gymschwinn Loc: Greenwood Village, CO.

DaveHam wrote:

Hi. I'm flying in to Chicago at the end of September then driving to Cedar Rapids for a few days with some family. After that I have ten days to explore with a camera. I want to go to Mesa Verde because I worked in Colorado for a while and never made it there. Apart from that I am interested in landscape and wildlife photography so anything that anyone can suggest would help. For those ten days I have no one else to worry about; have camera, will travel!

I have been to Mesa Verde. they are VERY strick there, and you need to check before hand...it may be closed. they seem to do alot of maintainance there. A better choice, if you can make the drive, is the Bandolier National Park, about 45 minutes N.W. of Santa Fe. They let you climb up the ladders to the caves and go inside. I don't know anywhere else where you can do that. Here's what I mean.

Ladders to the past....

keyPuncher Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

I you can travel a little further east, you can go up the Alpine Trail North East of Silverton and have several abandon mines to photograph. They make great subjects. Also lots of wild life up there. Most of the trail is 4 wheel drive. Check with Silverton Chamber of Commerce.

Abandon Mine

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

If you want to see wildlife go to Estes Park in Colorado. Enter the Rocky Mountain National Park there .The elk will be in rut and you will have many opportunities for great photos. If you have a 300+ MM lens you will get super shots of the elk fighting each other for favors of the female. Also Mesa Verde is great .Take the tour where you climb down to the ruins. Plan on spending a day there. And if you have time take the million dollar hwy to Silverton and Ouray out of Durango. Have fun.

tk Loc: Iowa

Iowa has a barn quilt chain. Some very beautiful wooden quilt plaques are hung near the peaks of red or white barns across the state. The quilts are of different patterns and colors.
The next few weeks will have the beautiful colors of fall. The soy bean crops are turning a gorgeous yellow and there are blue and purple wild flowers along the roads. The fall sky is a gorgeous blue and the trees are turning orange, red and yellow. The fields will be dotted with angus and holstein cattle. You may see ring-necked pheasants running the fields or flying across the roads. Country roads will reveal turkey and deer feeding in the pastures. The sunsets are silhouetted by windmills, barns and farmhouses with warm lighting.

(Wanna visit, don't ya'. :wink: ).