Scenic Overlook
This overlook sits at 1,197 feet on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway, facing 300 degrees toward the northwest. The land drops 96 feet within 600 meters of the viewpoint. Broken Kettle Grassland Preserve lies north-northwest at 11.0 miles, sitting at 1,194 feet, and Lookout Hill is visible west-northwest at 12.4 miles, reaching 1,342 feet. The facing direction is angled 30 degrees off square toward the sunset. Sioux City is 5.4 miles to the southeast, South Sioux City is 6.4 miles south-southeast, and Le Mars is 22.7 miles northeast. Sunset times vary through the year, from 21:08 at the June solstice to 16:56 at the December solstice, with equinox sunsets falling near 19:25-19:38. This lookout follows Lewis and Clark Monument Park and precedes Bobsled Run along the byway.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Broken Kettle Grassland Preserve1,194 ftnorth-northwest · 11.0 mi
- Lookout Hill1,342 ftwest-northwest · 12.4 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:30 | 19:38 | 19:01 |
| June solstice | 05:49 | 21:08 | 20:25 |
| September equinox | 07:14 | 19:25 | 18:48 |
| December solstice | 07:53 | 16:56 | 16:11 |
Local time (America/Chicago). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Sioux City5.4 mi southeast
- South Sioux City6.4 mi south-southeast
- Le Mars22.7 mi northeast
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How high is Scenic Overlook?
Scenic Overlook sits at about 1,197 feet (365 m).
What can you see from Scenic Overlook?
From Scenic Overlook: Broken Kettle Grassland Preserve (NNW, 11 mi); Lookout Hill (WNW, 12 mi).
Is Scenic Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Scenic Overlook toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Scenic Overlook?
Sioux City, 5.4 miles SE of Scenic Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Scenic Overlook?
Bobsled Run is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Scenic Overlook.
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Sioux City · 5 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Scenic Overlook — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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Field notes
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More lookouts on Loess Hills Scenic Byway
Named places near this lookout
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- Bishop Mueller Baseball/Softball Complex Park · 3.28 mi
- Chief War Eagle Memorial Historic site · 4.43 mi
- Sergent Floyd River Museum Museum · 5.31 mi