Do you know what time is a good time for a creepy road trip? Every time. Winter, spring, summer, fall, it doesn’t matter – if you want to take a nice drive, this road trip to some abandoned places may be just the ticket. This trip will take you to some interesting, creepy, and even beautiful abandoned spots that are sure to pique your interest. When it comes to creepy road trips, you can’t go wrong with this one to some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Iowa. So, pack up the car, and follow along by tapping or clicking on the map below!

Google Maps

1. Edinburgh Manor - Scotch Grove

Edinburgh Manor, By Appointment Only, 13241 E23 County Home Rd, Monticello, IA 52310, USA
WindRanch/Flickr
The journey begins at Edinburgh Manor in Scotch Grove. Built in 1908, this building was once an old mental institution, and it is said to be haunted today. There is a private cemetery on the grounds, where many people who died there are buried. Many visitors have claimed to see apparitions and hear voices in the building. It may be one of the most haunted abandoned places in Iowa.

2. Buckhorn - Jackson

Flickr/Phil Roeder
Buckhorn, Maquoketa, IA 52060, USA
Phil Roeder/Flickr
Buckhorn is a ghost town located in Jackson County just off Hwy 64. There are a few abandoned buildings to explore, including the church, the old Buckhorn Creamery, and the old cemetery, too. If you love exploring ghost towns in Iowa, you'll love exploring this one.

3. Sunbury

Sunbury, IA 52778, USA
Flickr/photolibrarian
Sunbury is the next stop. Sunbury is a ghost town that used to be an old railroad town. In its heydey, it was notorious for its dance hall, which was founded in 1895 and closed in 1964. There is also a bank that has been abandoned for many years, and we think it's one of the most picturesque abandoned buildings in Iowa. This is one of the eeriest ghost towns in Iowa to roam around so bring your camera!

4. Train Station - Belle Plaine

Belle Plaine, IA 52208, USA
Ron Reiring/Flickr
This train station was built by Chicago & Northwestern in 1894. It’s abandoned now, but you can tell that it was once a beautiful and stately building. And it's not even the only abandoned train station in Iowa!

5. Le Grand Bridge

Kepper66/Wikimedia
This bridge was built in 1914 or 1915. It used to carry traffic over the Iowa River but has since been abandoned since the county re-channeled the river and thus rerouted the road. The bridge is now abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Visit the Iowa DOT website for more information.

Related Stories

This Epic One-Day Road Trip Across Iowa Is Full Of Adventures From Sunrise To Sunset.

This Epic One-Day Road Trip Across Iowa Is Full Of Adventures From Sunrise To Sunset.

 Take This Unforgettable Road Trip To Experience Some Of Iowa's Most Impressive Caves And Waterfalls

Take This Unforgettable Road Trip To Experience Some Of Iowa's Most Impressive Caves And Waterfalls

 The Ultimate Weekend Itinerary If You Love Spending Time Outdoors In Iowa

The Ultimate Weekend Itinerary If You Love Spending Time Outdoors In Iowa

6. Farrar School - Farrar Township

WindRanch/Flickr
Farrar Township, 11125 NE 134th Ave, Maxwell, IA 50161, USA
WindRanch/Flickr
This former middle school is abandoned and is said to be haunted. Visitors over the years have reported many supernatural activities, like the ghost of a small boy in the stairwell, and the ghostly voices of children talking and laughing. And, uh, this is also not the only haunted school in Iowa either.

7. Squirrel Cage Jail - Council Bluffs

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Squirrel Cage Jail, 226 Pearl St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503, USA
Tim Reardon/Google Reviews
The Squirrel Cage Jail is no longer used as a jail, but it is open to the public for tours. Built in 1885, it’s a very unique structure consisting of three floors of 18 revolving, circular, or "lazy Susan"-style jail cells. It's one of the most interesting abandoned places in Iowa.

Learn more about this fascinating historical place in this YouTube video from Iowa Culture:

8. Forest Earth Lodge Site - West Oak

West Oak Forest, Iowa 51561, USA
Kenjoecow/Flickr
This prehistoric earth lodge built by the Glenwood Culture has obviously been long abandoned for human inhabitants, but it’s a fascinating place to visit. The park contains many similar structures, so it’s worth hanging out and exploring all of the sites in the area.

9. Coin School - Coin

Jo Naylor/Flickr
51636, Coin, IA 51636, USA
Jo Naylor/Flickr
The last stop on this road trip to some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Iowa is another abandoned school. The Coin School is an interesting abandoned sight, with the haunting remains of rubble in the classrooms and playground equipment outside.

Are you ready to embark on this road trip to some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Iowa? Interested in other Iowa road trips? How about a haunting road trip through Iowa ghost towns? You won’t forget it anytime soon!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Creepy Road Trips In Iowa

Tori Jane | August 07, 2021

What are some scary places in Iowa?  

Some scary places in Iowa include the following:

  • There’s the old Victorian home known to the world now as the “Villisca Murder House.”
  • The Independence State Mental Health Institute, the second asylum built in the area in 1873. To this day, visitors report a certain terrifying unease in the halls and many a ghost story has come from there. 
  • Banwell Terror Bridge, the alleged site where a woman dropped her children to their deaths before plunging herself. 

 

What types of abandoned places in Iowa are there?  

There are several remarkable abandoned places in Iowa:

  • The old Waterloo Greyhound Park in Waterloo has been abandoned since the 1990s.
  • Remains of old factories built in the 1800s are scattered about the state, most famously the Lehigh Clay Works building in the town of the same name.

 

For a list of interesting and photogenic abandoned places in Iowa, take a look at this article and its pictures.  

Where are the most haunted places in Iowa?   

Some of the most haunted places in Iowa include the following:

  • Stony Hollow Road in Burlington, where the distressed spirit of a woman named Lucinda is said to still walk around, despite having jumped to her death in the area long ago.
  • Rainbow Bridge in Lake City
  • Tara Bridge in Fort Dodge
  • Villisca Murder House in Villisca

Related Articles