^A guide marker for southbound travelers on Iowa 12 at the northern junction with Iowa 3 near Akron, September 2019.
Iowa Route 12 is a route following the eastern edge of the Big Sioux River, which separates Iowa from South Dakota. The northern end is at Iowa Route 10 in Hawarden. The southern end is at Interstate 29 on the west side of Sioux City, just east of where the Interstate enters Iowa from South Dakota. Besides Hawarden and Sioux City, Iowa Route 12 only passes through Akron, Iowa, where it intersects Iowa Route 3.
Speaking of the intersection with Iowa Route 3, my photo of Iowa Route 12 comes from its meeting with Iowa Route 3 near Akron. The sign assembly shown faces west to tell eastbound travelers on Iowa Route 3 that Iowa Route 3 is about to join Iowa Route 12 south. It sits at the northern end of the concurrency between Routes 3 and 12, in Akron. The concurrency is very short and breaks up less than a mile to the south. I took this photo during my northern Iowa trip in September 2019.
Iowa 12's northern end marker at Iowa 10 in Hawarden. Iowa 10 comes from the east to turn northerly at this point. Iowa 10 has a short northern jog, then turns west into South Dakota.
Looking south on Iowa 12 where Iowa 3 joins it southward near Akron.
A pair of trailblazers announcing the concurrency of Iowa 3 and Iowa 12 southbound.
Iowa 3 splits from Iowa 12 to continue west across the South Dakota state line.
At the same intersection as the previous photo, this sign serves southbound travelers reaching the point where Iowa 3 splits from Iowa 12. This shows that Iowa 3 is about to become South Dakota Highway 48 just west of here.
Southbound trailblazer found just beyond the split with Iowa 3 in Akron.
I found no southern end marker for Iowa 12, so here is the southern end of Iowa 12, at a diamond interchange with I-29 in Sioux City.
