Last updated: June 29, 2021
Place
Little Sioux, Iowa
Quick Facts
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Amenities
6 listed
Beach/Water Access, Cellular Signal, Food/Drink - Restaurant/Table Service, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present
Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums
Visitor Centers (shown in orange), High Potential Historic Sites (shown in black), and Pivotal Places (shown in green) along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Located at the foot of the Loess Hills State Forest, Little Sioux boasts panoramic views of the Missouri River Valley that Lewis and Clark traveled. Nearby Larpenteur Memorial Road, named for early settler and French fur trader Charles Larpenteur, winds along the base of the Loess Hills just outside of town. Little Sioux is also home to Murray Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named after Michael Murray, a mercantile business owner from the early history of Little Sioux. Originally a general store and now a museum and reception space, Murray Hall was built in 1877 and is a rare example of the two-story “false front” commercial building style. The Little Sioux Scout Ranch of the Boy Scouts of America is located in Little Sioux.
The annual Little Sioux Homecoming is the perfect family event with a parade, carnival, dance, and barbecue held on the fourth weekend in August. Little Sioux is also a stop on the 29-mile Embrace the Hills annual bike ride. With 3,835 acres of Loess Hills State Forest nearby, Little Sioux is the ideal stop for any nature-lover.
If hunting or hiking attract you, the six nature areas located near Little Sioux are perfect for you. Gee-Hruska Wetland Area is a 30-acre preserve where waterfowl, pheasant, and quail are frequently found. Located just one mile south of Little Sioux, Gee-Hruska is accessed through the O’Day Wetland Area. With 165 acres of woodland with ridge-top native prairie stands and trails, the Gleason-Hubel Wildlife Area is good hunting ground for turkey, deer, quail, squirrels, and rabbits. The perfect place for bird-watching and morel mushroom hunting, this Wildlife Area is just one mile southeast of the town center.
For the avid fisherman, the Sioux Dam Wildlife Area offers bank fishing along the Little Sioux River. Sioux Dam is only four miles north and holds 10 acres of prairie and woodland hunting. Finally, the Murray Hill Scenic Overlook is a high elevation point that features a hiking trail to the top of the ridge for a panoramic view of the Missouri River Valley. The steep climb to the top offers a picturesque view of the surrounding area and is just 2.4 miles northeast of Little Sioux.
No matter what your interest – historic or outdoors – Little Sioux is sure to have something to share with our visitors!