5 Tick Infested Areas In Iowa

Iowa is among the states seeing their heaviest tick activity since 2017. According to the CDC's Tick Bite Data Tracker, the Midwest recorded 136 tick-bite visits per 100,000 emergency department visits in April 2026, the highest for the region on record since 2017. Given that Iowa's tick-related incidents typically peak in late spring and summer, these numbers are especially worrisome to those enjoying the outdoors in the warmer months. Aside from Lyme disease, ticks in Iowa have transmitted Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and the increasingly common Alpha-gal Syndrome. These are the 5 areas in Iowa where one is most likely to encounter ticks.

Shimek State Forest

The 4.1-mile Shimek Forest Trail near Donnellson and the 9.8-mile Lick Creek Unit Upper Loop, which is heavily used for horseback riding and biking, both provide preferred environments within Shimek State Forest for ticks. CDC tick surveillance resources have confirmed suitable habitats for the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the Lone Star tick.

This southeastern forest covers more than 9,000 acres and features more than 50 miles of recreational trails dense with oak-hickory timber, bottomland hardwoods, and creek bottoms where ticks can be found. Shimek's large deer population and extensive wildlife habitat help maintain the bugs' life cycle. White-tailed deer are especially important hosts for adult ticks, while smaller mammals help support earlier life stages. The forest's Lick Creek Unit, which contains equestrian trails, hiking paths, and camping areas, places visitors close to the brushy transition areas where ticks often wait for a passing host.

The diseases associated with these species differ from Iowa's northeast Lyme disease concerns. Lone star ticks can transmit Ehrlichiosis and are linked to conditions including Alpha-gal Syndrome, while American dog ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Tularemia.

Effigy Mounds National Monument

The forested bluffs along the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa create some of the state's most distinctive tick habitat. Effigy Mounds National Monument, located in Harpers Ferry, protects more than 200 prehistoric mound sites spread across steep wooded ridges and bluff-top overlooks above the river corridor. Much of this landscape is made up of mature hardwood forest with heavy leaf litter, especially along the interior ravines that drop toward the Mississippi backwaters. Similar to the nearby Yellow River State Forest, this area is an established region for blacklegged ticks and, therefore, Lyme disease transmission.

Multiple hiking routes pass directly through Blacklegged tick terrain, including the Fire Point Loop, Hanging Rock Trail, and Horseshoe Bluff Trail. These trails climb sharply from river-level forest into elevated ridge systems where vegetation thickens along narrow paths. The ticks are more active in late spring and early summer, when they are small, difficult to detect, and more likely to attach unnoticed during time spent on narrow forest trails.

Preparation Canyon State Park

Preparation Canyon State Park is a unit of the Loess Hills State Forest in Western Iowa. It offers some of the most rugged and remote backcountry hiking and primitive camping experiences in the Midwest. It's also famous for unique, wind-blown ridges and the 13.2-mile Preparation Canyon Overnight Route, which stretches across both the state park and the state forest. On the narrow ridge trails, where tall grass encroaches onto the path, and within the shaded ravines, where leaf litter accumulates, the American dog tick waits for hosts. While the CDC also confirms Lone Star ticks in the region, American dog ticks are more prevalent and primarily transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

The state park is north of the town of Pisgah and sits alongside the Loess Hills Scenic Overlook, which is popular among hikers for its views over the rolling Loess Hills and wildflowers. While the Overlook's wooden platform is not where one is most likely to encounter ticks, the tall grassy fields that lead up to it are a hotspot for American dog tick activity.

Yellow River State Forest

Located near Harpers Ferry in northeast Iowa, Yellow River State Forest covers about 8,990 acres in the Driftless Area. It's a landscape of steep wooded ridges, narrow valleys, and limestone bluffs that weren't flattened by glaciers like much of the state. Within Allamakee County, Yellow River is the largest forest, made up mostly of hardwood, creek corridors, and thick understory that holds moisture through much of the warmer months. This is the kind of shaded, humid environment where blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are commonly found.

Blacklegged ticks are the primary vector of Lyme disease in the Upper Midwest and are populous in this region of Northeast Iowa, according to CDC surveillance. Yellow River's landscape supports the full tick life cycle. The forest's white-footed mice act as key reservoir hosts for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, while white-tailed deer aid the adult stage by providing blood meals.

The highest exposure risk comes along forest edges and trail corridors rather than open recreation areas. In the 5,237-acre Paint Creek Unit of the forest, hikers move through wooded trails, creek bottoms, and brushy vegetation where ticks can attach to people passing through.

Stephens State Forest

Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) have been documented in parts of eastern and southern Iowa, including Stephens State Forest. Spread across Lucas, Clarke, Monroe, Appanoose, and Davis counties in southern Iowa, Stephens State Forest is the largest state forest in Iowa, covering more than 15,500 acres across seven separate locations (units). Multiple tick species can be found here, including the Lone Star tick, due to the abundance of white-tailed deer and a warmer climate that supports their life cycle.

Stephens State Forest is used heavily for horseback riding, hunting, hiking, and other outdoor recreation, meaning people often spend time along the forest edges where ticks are most likely to be encountered. These transition zones between woods, tall vegetation, and open areas provide the conditions that Lone Star ticks favor.

Unlike blacklegged ticks, which drive much of Iowa's Lyme disease risk, Lone Star ticks are associated with different health concerns. CDC lists Tularemia and Ehrlichiosis as diseases spread by bites. They've also been connected to Alpha-gal Syndrome, an immune reaction that can cause an allergy to meat products, including beef and venison. Some who develop this allergy have few to no symptoms, while others can react as seriously as going into anaphylactic shock, according to the CDC. Due to the increasing risk of transmission by Lone Star ticks, it is important to take protective measures when in areas such as Stephens State Forest.

Staying Safe in Iowa's Tick Country

Whether hiking the Hanging Rock and Fire Point trails at Effigy Mounds, riding the Lick Creek loops in Shimek, or crossing the ridge routes in Preparation Canyon, most tick exposures happen in transition zones. This includes trail edges, ravines, and overgrown grass. Iowa's tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and the increasing alpha-gal syndrome, are all linked to these environments. Checking gear, clothing, and skin after time outdoors is the most consistent defense. For real-time conditions, My Wild Report provides updated tick risks for every region in Iowa.