^Looking north from Iowa 9 at Lakota, May 2022.
In Iowa, US Route 169 runs north-south from Minnesota to Missouri, at a slightly more westward longitude than Interstate 35 and the state's central backbone. Though it mainly reaches minor rural communities, it's the main north-south highway through Fort Dodge and Winterset. US Route 169's southern foray into Iowa occurs between Grant City, Missouri, and Redding, Iowa, about twenty miles west of Interstate 35. From that crossing out of Missouri, US Route 169 heads north through Mount Ayr and Winterset. At De Soto, US Route 169 passes through an interchange with Interstate 80 just west of Des Moines, so it can reach Adel and US Route 6. US Route 169 keeps going north, jogging westerly for a bit along US Route 30 at Ogden. At Fort Dodge, US Route 169 meets US Route 20 and the eastern end of Iowa Route 7. After meeting Iowa Route 3 at Humboldt and meeting US Route 18 at Algona, US Route 169 heads for the Minnesota border, bound for Blue Earth, Minnesota.
An older photo for US Route 169 in Iowa was formerly featured on this page, but it has been replaced. The new photo appears, next, but rest assured that the older photo is still available for viewing. I have just moved it to the bottom of this page.
An older photo for US Route 169 in Iowa was formerly featured on this page, but it has been replaced. The new photo appears, next, but rest assured that the older photo is still available for viewing. I have just moved it to the bottom of this page.
My photo of US Route 169 in Iowa comes from its convergence with US Route 34 at Afton, Iowa. The signage shows how US Route 169 is making a right turn from its otherwise northbound trajectory, joining US Route 34 for a short while. Northbound travelers on US Route 169 can interpret from these guide markers that US Route 169 continues with a turn toward the east. This photo was taken as I was heading westward along all of US Route 34, through Iowa and beyond, in October 2024.
The former photo featured for US Route 169 in Iowa appears below.
The former photo featured for US Route 169 in Iowa appears below.
My former photo for US Route 169 in Iowa comes from Algona, at the four-way intersection where US Route 169 meets US Route 18. The guide assembly depicted faces east for westbound traffic on US Route 18. This photo was taken during a drive across northern Iowa in September 2019. A random freak rain shower, not predicted by weather forecasters, was wrapping up when I was taking this photo.
Here are several more photos taken along US Route 169 in Iowa:
Here are several more photos taken along US Route 169 in Iowa:
US Route 169 continues south from US Route 34, coming off a short westward concurrency with US Route 34. It heads south through the heart of the small town of Afton.
US Route 169 heads south through an intersection with US Route 6, which joins it south until Interstate 80. This is in the town of Adel.
US Route 169's southbound trailblazer for those leaving the intersection with Iowa 44 west of Dallas Center.
US Route 169 heads south through the junction with Iowa 7, on the west side of Fort Dodge. This junction is the eastern end of Iowa 7.