Des Moines River at Keosauqua

The Great Bend is the kind of feature that only makes full sense from above. The river loops so far that the town of Keosauqua sits almost inside the horseshoe, ringed on three sides by water. When conservationists set out to protect it, they created a park in the early 1920s, first called Big Bend and soon renamed for John F. Lacey, an Iowa congressman remembered for landmark conservation laws. Today it spreads across well over a thousand acres of forested bluff above the river.

In the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps went to work here, building an earthen dam and a spring-fed lake with a sandy swimming beach, along with the rustic stone shelters and trails that still give the park its handsome, hand-built character. Three areas of the park now carry a listing on the National Register of Historic Places for that Depression-era craftsmanship, so a walk here is partly a walk through the story of how Americans built their public places nearly a century ago.

The human story on this bend reaches back far beyond the pioneers. In the park's northwest corner, a group of Woodland Culture burial mounds overlooks the river, raised by Native people over many centuries and standing among more than a dozen documented archaeological sites here. They are among the quietest and oldest things a visitor can walk to in southeast Iowa.

The river was also a highway. In the mid-1800s steamboats worked their way up the Des Moines to serve settlements along its banks, and Mormon pioneers heading west in 1846 crossed the river in this county, some of them at Ely Ford at the north end of what is now the park, where a granite monument marks the spot. A little downstream, the towns of Bentonsport and Bonaparte grew up as busy river ports, and because time and the railroads later passed them by, they survive today as near-intact windows into the steamboat era.

The Des Moines here is calm, wide, and forgiving, which makes it one of the friendlier rivers in the state to float. The Van Buren County water trail strings public launches together at several of the villages, so you can put in above town and drift down past bluffs, riverbank forest, and the old brick fronts of Bentonsport, taking out at the next landing rather than paddling back upstream. It is an easy day on the water with real history sliding by on the banks.

On foot, the park rewards a slow visit. Follow the bluff-top trail for the big river views, walk the loop around the lake, and seek out the burial mounds and the Ely Ford marker to feel the depth of the place. Then drive the few miles to Bentonsport and Bonaparte to walk their old streets and cross the one-lane iron bridge from the 1880s. It all adds up to an unhurried, deeply rooted corner of Iowa built around a single grand curve in the river.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Des Moines River at Keosauqua, in southeastern Iowa, is one of the most scenic stretches of Iowa's longest river, where the Des Moines River makes a great looping bend through the wooded hills of the Van Buren County countryside near the historic town of Keosauqua. This peaceful, tree-lined stretch offers beautiful river scenery, paddling and fishing, wildlife, and access to Lacey-Keosauqua State Park along its banks, all amid the charm of the historic river villages. The winding river and its wooded valley are a highlight of the region. With its scenic waters, paddling, and riverside beauty, the Des Moines River at Keosauqua offers a peaceful destination in southeastern Iowa.

You can canoe, kayak, and paddle the gentle, scenic river, fish its waters, watch for wildlife and birds along the wooded banks, enjoy the river views from Lacey-Keosauqua State Park and the historic town of Keosauqua, and combine river time with exploring the charming Villages of Van Buren. The peaceful paddling and the wooded river scenery are highlights. It is a relaxing, nature-focused outing. With its scenic paddling, fishing, and riverside beauty near the historic villages, the Des Moines River at Keosauqua offers a peaceful outdoor experience in southeastern Iowa.

When paddling or fishing, always wear a life jacket, check current water levels and conditions before you go, as the river can run high, fast, or hold snags and debris after rain, and never enter fast or flooded water. Tell someone your plans, bring water and sun protection, and watch for uneven, muddy banks and insects in the warm months. Being cautious of changing river conditions and following basic water safety ensures a safe and enjoyable outing on the Des Moines River at Keosauqua in southeastern Iowa.

Late spring through fall is the best time for paddling, fishing, and enjoying the river and its wooded valley, when the weather is mild and the scenery green or, in autumn, colorful, with summer good for river recreation and fall especially beautiful along the tree-lined banks. River levels run highest and swiftest after spring rains. Winter is cold and quiet. For the best combination of pleasant weather and river recreation, aim for late spring through fall on the Des Moines River at Keosauqua in southeastern Iowa.

The Des Moines River at Keosauqua is in southeastern Iowa, alongside Lacey-Keosauqua State Park and the historic Villages of Van Buren including Bentonsport, within reach of the Old Threshers Heritage Museum at Mount Pleasant, Snake Alley in Burlington, and Lake Wapello State Park to the west. That makes the Des Moines River at Keosauqua a peaceful stop to combine with Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, the Villages of Van Buren, and the other attractions of southeastern Iowa on a visit to the state.