Clark Tower

Clark Tower is a genuine 25-foot limestone castle-tower built in 1926, reached by a one-way, one-lane gravel road winding a mile through Winterset City Park — you climb the spiral exterior steps and a steep interior metal staircase to a rooftop overlook above the Middle River Valley that most park visitors never find. It survived a direct hit from an EF4 tornado in March 2022, which somehow makes it even more dramatic.

The move: Drive the narrow one-way gravel road into the park at golden hour, hike or park and walk the final stretch to the tower, then climb the winding stone steps and the steep metal ladder to stand on top together for a hidden valley panorama — bring a blanket to spread on the grass below afterward and watch the light fade over the limestone bluffs.

📍 Winterset
💸 Free
⚡ Up for anything
🌗 Outdoors

Where: 2278 Clark Tower Rd, Winterset, IA 50273 (Winterset City Park, ~1 mile in on the one-way gravel road)

Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.

#stone-tower #hidden-overlook #gravel-road #spiral-staircase

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

Verified 2026-06-07.