Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center
4.9 (364 Reviews)

Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center

Parking AvailableOutdoor SeatingAccessible / ADA AccessibleWalk-Ins WelcomeKid / Family FriendlyOpen WeekendsGroup Friendly

Woods to Rivers, Hills to Plains

1944 Columbus Rd.
Lansing, IA 52151
538-563-0400
www.allamakeecountyconservation.org

Alert

We're open but with new hours/limited operations!


Mon
8:00am–4:30pm
Tue
8:00am–4:30pm
Wed
8:00am–4:30pm
Thu
8:00am–4:30pm
Fri
8:00am–4:30pm
Sat
12:00pm–4:00pm
Sun
12:00pm–4:00pm

The cultural, recreational, natural, and historical significance of the Driftless Area is the primary focus of the interpretive exhibits at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center. Featuring three levels and 10,000 sq. ft., the building is nestled beneath limestone bluffs with scenic river views. Here, at this very place, a new chapter has begun.

Let your imagination flow down to the river landing, where the waters of Village Creek gently converge with the Mississippi River near Lansing, Iowa. Imagine a place once bustling with clanking tools and shouts of fishermen hauling in the day’s catch; the low, mournful sound of the steamboat whistle echoing through the steep bluffs and along the sacred, earthen mounds. Towering glaciers passed around this very spot—scraping and scouring all but this land, a breathtaking region known as the Driftless Area.

We are proud to serve residents and travelers of northeast Iowa and the Driftless Area.

History


Founded in 2017

This land was originally the site of the first Allamakee County courthouse, located in the village of Columbus, founded in the early 1850s. A large grant from the National Scenic Byways program in 2012 provided initial funding for what would eventually become the Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center. Work started in 2015, and the grand opening ceremony took place on August 12th, 2017. The Driftless Center building has allowed us to welcome more travelers, learn with our community, and host school field trips in the spring and fall.