July’s here and the outlook is sunny! There’s something about the beauty of sunflowers that can add a little sunshine to your day. If frolicking through fields of giant sunflowers sounds like a fun time, then make sure to grab your camera and take note. Sunflower season generally runs from late July until early September with rotating cycles of blooming periods, so be sure to visit the websites of each location to make sure you’re catching peak bloom potential.
For even more ideas to get out and about this summer visit our Calendar, check out the Summer Fun Guide and sign-up to receive the Weekend Fun Guide.
The best sunflower fields near the Des Moines area:
Badger Creek State Park (Van Meter)
Located just a short 30 minutes’ drive southwest of Des Moines, this state park boasts four acres of sunflowers. It’s actually a food plot for Doves, but tons of people flock to the field for insta worthy pics. For those of you who have visited the Badger Creek sunflower patch before, it has moved to the west side of the lake. (The old one was on the east side.) Watch Iowa DNR’s Facebook page for info. on when the field will be in bloom.
Bank Swallow Bend County Park (Ackworth)
Enjoy the lovely beauty surrounding you as you meander through the sunflower field in this Warren County park. Bank Swallow Bend Wildlife Area is located 8 miles east of Indianola off of Highway 92 and is managed by Warren County Conservation. The sunflowers here are part of their wildlife food plot and are located close to the North Parking Lot. Stop by and take some family fun photos! Watch Warren County Conservation Board’s Facebook page for updates and information.
Center Grove Orchard (Cambridge)
Center Grove Orchard is a popular place for picking many, many things, including sunflowers. Get lost in their large field of sunflowers and pick your favorite blooms or purchase a fresh cut bouquet at their Country Store. Admission to the Sunflower Meadow for viewing and taking photos is included in general Farmyard admission. They also offer a u-pick option for an additional cost. Daily operating hours are 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Sunflower season is typically late August through mid-October.
Howell’s Greenhouse & Pumpkin Patch (Cumming)
A relatively new attraction to Howell’s is a massive sunflower field. Kids will love running through the massive blooms for a fun photo opp. They will be hosting Flower Festival weekly on Saturday and Sunday July 29 through August 13, 2023. Howell’s is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily throughout the summer.
Pepper Harrow Farm (Winterset)
While this flower farm in Winterset is NOT open to the public, Pepper Harrow does offer a number of opportunities to schedule a visit to the farm. Their sunflower plots are available for rent to local photographers. They also offer a Cut Your Own Bouquet Experience that would be a great activity to do with kids. Visit their website to find out when their events are happening and to purchase tickets.
Pheasant Run Farm (Belle Plaine)
Wander through a sunflower maze in 9+ acres at Pheasant Run’s Sunflower Experience. The farm also features a “U Pick” field where visitors can clip their own take-home flowers, photo opportunities galore, viewing platforms for an “uplifting” view of the blooms, a children’s Sunflower Forest and more. One cut sunflower is included in your admission. Additional flowers cost a small fee. The Sunflower Experience is at the junction of Hwy 30 & 131 at the Belle Plaine exit. No matter what Google and Apple Maps tell you, stay on Hwy 30!
Rinehart’s Family Farm (Boone)
This family farm not only offers up fresh fruit and veggies, but Rinehart’s Family Farm also has a sunflower patch that you can stroll or drive through. You can also pick your own sunflowers and take some beautiful photos! They are open daily between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm and there is no charge to visit the farm. Check out their Instagram and Facebook pages to know when the flowers are in bloom.
Extra:
The Iowa DNR has a listing of state-managed public wildlife areas with food plots for doves at www.iowadnr.gov/doves. Not all of these sites include sunflower fields, but several do. However, they are off the beaten path with only basic public use facilities provided. Portions of these areas may be designated as refuge areas with restrictions placed on certain uses. So, if you do decide to venture out, do your research before you go!
Let us know if you’ve found a instaworthy sunflower field near Des Moines!
