Osceola County Highpoint Trip Report
Hawkeye Point
Date: August 13, 2001
Author: Daniel Fleischmann
The previous day, I climbed Harney Peak (7,242 feet), the highpoint of South Dakota. I drove down I-90
that night, through South Dakota and western Minnesota. I stayed in Worthington, Minnesota for the evening.
The next morning I made my way down route 59, then got on route 60. After I hit the Iowa
border on route 60, it was five miles until I saw a sign pointing to the highpoint. I then made a left on to
130th street. I parked my car at the side of the road and the sight of the farm structures looked familiar to
what I had seen on the web at www.highpointers.org.
Iowa is very flat, and it is nearly impossible to distinguish the highest point, except for the marker itself.
However, I admire the highpoint aspect of Hawkeye Point. It is just a little quaint piece of land on a farm,
yet is has this significance that it wouldn't have otherwise. I get a kick out of that.
Frankly, this is the FLATTEST highpoint, flatter than Delaware, flatter than Kansas, flatter than Indiana,
and flatter than Florida.
On my excursion, I walked about 200 yards to the right from the road, towards a silo. There was no sign on
the property pointing to the highest point but I noticed the structure and, behind the silo, was the sign.
I took a complementary key chain in the shape of Iowa, that says,
"Hawkeye Point
Elev. 1670 feet
Merrill Sterler Farm."