# Covered bridges, Dutch windmills and the Amana Colonies

> 3-day road trip of about 372 km (231 mi) with 8 stops, from Ledges State Park to Amana Colonies. About 4 h 08 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b9-madison-county/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 372 km (231 mi) with 8 stops, from Ledges State Park to Amana Colonies. About 4 h 08 min of driving in total. Central Iowa’s gentle side: a sandstone canyon, the covered bridges of Madison County, Dutch Pella and the German Amana villages.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 372 km (231 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 08 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Ledges State Park → Amana Colonies |
| States | IA |
| Updated | May 15, 2026 |

## Route description

Start north-west of Des Moines at Ledges State Park near Boone, where a road runs along a creek through sandstone ledges; it floods after heavy rain, so check conditions. Then drive south to Des Moines and on to Winterset, the Madison County seat with a courthouse square and the birthplace of John Wayne.

Six historic covered bridges survive in the county. Roseman, famous from The Bridges of Madison County, and Holliwell, the longest, both sit on gravel roads outside Winterset; pick up a bridge map in town. The Covered Bridge Festival fills the town in October.

Head east to Pella, founded by Dutch immigrants, where the Vermeer Windmill turns in the historical village and canals and gables line the square. Tulip Time in early May is spectacular but crowded.

I-80 then leads east to the Amana Colonies, seven villages built by German Pietists who lived communally until 1932. Wander the old brick buildings, shops and bakeries, then continue east to Iowa City or on to the interstate.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Ledges State Park** (Boone, IA): Sandstone ledges and a creek-bottom road through a small canyon by the Des Moines River. The road floods after heavy rain, so check before driving through.
2. **Des Moines** (IA)
3. **Winterset** (IA)
4. **Roseman Covered Bridge** (Winterset, IA): The most famous of Madison County’s covered bridges, made widely known by the book and film The Bridges of Madison County. Reached on a gravel road.
5. **Holliwell Covered Bridge** (Winterset, IA): The longest of the county’s surviving covered bridges, spanning the Middle River in a quiet, wooded setting. Closed to cars but open to walk across.
6. **Pella** (IA)
7. **Vermeer Windmill** (Pella, IA): A working Dutch-style windmill built in the Netherlands and reassembled in Pella’s historical village. Visit during Tulip Time in early May, when the town is in bloom.
8. **Amana Colonies** (Amana, IA): Seven villages founded by German Pietists who lived communally until 1932. Walk the brick and sandstone streets and stop for German-style food and crafts.