.png){kind=logo}
State Bucket List
Iowa's Great Lakes region is one of the Midwest's best-kept outdoor secrets. West Okoboji is one of only three natural blue-water lakes in the world -- a glacially carved gem in northwest Iowa that turns mirror-calm in fall when the summer crowds thin and the hardwood foliage reflects in the water. The chain of lakes offers days of paddling through a landscape that feels nothing like the Iowa most people imagine.
The fall season at Okoboji is the best-kept secret in the region. The water stays warm enough for kayaking well into October, the loons are still calling, and the shoreline takes on a quiet beauty that summer visitors never see. It's the kind of place that converts skeptics into regulars.
These two Iowa adventures are drawn from Outdoor Taste + Tour's reporting on the Great Lakes region -- a destination that deserves far more attention than it gets.
West Okoboji is one of only three natural blue-water lakes in the world. In fall, the crowds thin, the foliage turns, and the lake takes on a mirror-calm beauty that summer visitors never see.
When the summer crowds leave, the Iowa Great Lakes reveal their best side. Paddle the chain of lakes in the quiet of October, with hardwood color reflected in the water and the loons still calling.
In-depth articles for every adventure on this list that has an OTT guide.
Iowa Travel Guides
We'll notify you when new OTT guides drop for Iowa -- plus seasonal picks, gear roundups, and hidden gems you won't find anywhere else.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.