Sample ~ One Day LOESS HILLS ~
LEWIS & CLARK HOSPITALITY TOUR ITINERARY

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• 9:00 a.m. Your motorcoach will arrive at a designated location and meet our Loess Hills Tour Guide who will be with you all day. You will be greeted with a warm welcome to the Loess Hills with morning coffee and a snack. RESTROOMS.
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• Travel back in time at Lewis & Clark State Park where you will view a full-sized replica of the keelboat used by Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to the northwest. The rangers will tell you that "Lewis & Clark . . .really slept here!" Perhaps your next stop will be at the Loess Hills Historical Complex and the Veterans Memorial Museum. View the tank and airplane of WWII vintage and step back in time as you tour the museum.
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• Depart for your tour of the ancient Loess Hills. The ancient prairie hills, a unique natural wonder, were formed over 18,000 years ago of windblown soil called "loess" (pronounced "luss"). During the time glaciers were retreating, water and wind erosion formed the sharp angles and deep ravines seen today. Loess deposits are 200 feet deep in places and the only bluffs of similar magnitude found today are in northern China. Your guide will tell you about the formation of the hills, their unique characteristics, and conservation practices to preserve them. As you travel the Loess Hills "Scenic Byways", you will learn about the flora and fauna of the area and new words, such as "kindchen" and "catsteps". At the small city of Turin, site of the "Turin Man", your guide will tell you about this excavation site of the 1950s where skeletons were unearthed that are over 5,000 years old
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• Travel along Larpenteur Memorial Road where you will see the little Danish Church built in 1884 nestled in the hills. Perhaps you have seen its picture in the Hallmark calendar. Observe the quiet little cemetery and hear the stories of the early immigrant's trials and tragedies. Winding through the hills you will swing by Preparation Canyon State Park named after an early Mormon settlement. There are many breath-taking views of the lush farmland, stately burr oak trees, prairie flowers and grasses. The new Loess Hills Scenic Overlook gives breathtaking sights and panoramic views of the Missouri River plain.
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• 12:00 p.m. Time to sit back and enjoy an old fashioned home-cooked meal served by one of our local groups. Our ladies love to cook so enjoy our Loess Hills hospitality! Take time to visit with your hosts, guide, and fellow travelers. RESTROOMS.
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• Visit the Loess Hills Visitor Center and Gift Shop in Moorhead where you can browse and purchase Loess Hills products and local craft items. The Moorhead Cultural Center will be open for your convenience to see the current exhibit. RESTROOMS.
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• Back to the "hills" as you journey to "apple orchard country". Travel to Pisgah where your guide will tell you stories about Larpenteur, an early French fur trader, and the town of Fountainbleau and Indian tales of early times. Here you may choose to visit the Loess Hills Visitors Center to continue your exploration of the Loess Hills. The center features interpretive displays, and art of the Loess Hills.
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• Or, perhaps you may visit the Harrison County Historical Village. Here you can browse the complex as you explore the Historical Village that includes a country school, a chapel, old farming tools and thousands of items of yesteryear. Stop in the Iowa Products Store and try their cherry drink.
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• Arrive at Small's Fruit Farm ~ Here about this 5th generation business and return to the Sales Barn to browse through the products for sale and sample the freshly made apple cider. Visit the Pie Parlor, where you may enjoy fresh baked apple pie and coffee, if you wish. RESTROOMS.
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• 4:30 p.m. Depart for the remainder of your tour. Thanks for spending the day in the Loess Hills!
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• (A complete tour itinerary with times will be sent upon receipt of your Tour Confirmation and deposit.)

 

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