The One Mesmerizing Place in Iowa to See the Northern Lights

Clear and dark skies are necessary if you want to experience the majestic Northern Lights here in Iowa. The Aurora doesn't run on a schedule; seeing it is a matter of being in the right place, under the right conditions, at the right time. Since darkness is so important to seeing the Northern Lights, getting to a place with a flat surrounding landscape and very little ambient light from nearby towns is crucial.

Whiterock Conservancy near Coon Rapids is a 5,500-acre land trust that is open to the public.

There are places to camp, and the conservancy also has a guest farmhouse with individual rooms, an RV campground, primitive fishing campsite, several cottages, and a river cabin available for rent.

Because the conservancy works to keep light pollution to a minimum, and because of its somewhat-remote location, star-gazing here is incredible.

This location is open year-round.

Stargazing is just one of the things people come here for.

They hold educational event regularly. Mountain biking, horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are also popular activities.

Many people don't realize that the Northern Lights are sometimes visible in Iowa.

While the view may not be as dramatic as it is in Alaska, it's still an amazing phenomenon and witnessing it at least once belongs on your bucket list.

Midwestern USA at Night with Aurora Borealis

Strong geomagnetic storms this fall could make the Northern Lights visible for parts of Iowa.

Experts say that seeing the Northern Lights during 2017 in the Midwest is possible.

Aurora borealis isn't disappearing, but this light show is on a schedule of its own.

After activity peaked in 2014, it's been on the decline.

Activity will continue to drop until 2020 and peak again in 2025. This solar cycle is 11 years, so unless you want to wait until 2025 or even 2026, now's the time to seek out one of nature's most amazing phenomenons.

To learn more about the ever-changing Northern Lights, you could use an online resource like Aurora Borealis Forecast. You can receive alerts that you set for your location, see a real time Aurora forecast map, and check the Earth light and moon light pollution levels to help predict ambient light levels.

Have you seen the Northern Lights from Iowa? Tell us about it in the comments.