Iowa Highway 9 — Driftless Ridge Run

Iowa Highway 9 spans 295 miles across Iowa's entire northern tier, but its eastern section through Howard, Winneshiek, and Allamakee counties is a completely different ride. Departing the flat northern plains at Cresco, the highway makes a dramatic transition into the Driftless Area — terrain untouched by the last glaciation — with progressively rugged terrain, elevation swings, river valley crossings, and forested bluffs as it approaches the Mississippi. The final approach through Allamakee County curves north through Waukon, then drops into Clear Creek valley, entering Lansing directly at the Black Hawk Bridge over the Mississippi. The eastern 60–70 miles from Cresco to Lansing concentrate all the character: sweeping S-curves, wooded ridgelines, and views over the Upper Iowa River bottomlands.