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Elkader Iowa Map

Explore Elkader, Iowa, with this interactive street and satellite map.

This page also offers TOPO MAPS — the official USGS topographic sheets — plus USGS aerial imagery, a labelled USNG grid overlay, a distance and bearing tool, and a GPS grid-reference readout. See How to Use This Map below.

Interactive Map of Elkader, Iowa

How to Use This Elkader, Iowa Map

This interactive map shows the street layout and satellite imagery for Elkader, Iowa. Use the Map and Satellite buttons above to switch between street map and aerial imagery views. Use the + and − buttons to zoom in or out, or scroll your mouse wheel while holding the Control key to zoom. On a touchscreen, use a two-finger pinch gesture. Drag the map to pan to any area of Iowa or beyond.

Click ⛶ Fullscreen to expand the map to fill your screen. To return to the normal page view, press the Escape key, click the ✕ Exit Fullscreen button that appears above the map, or on a mobile device tap the back button (Android) or the close icon (iOS).

TOPO MAPS — NEW. Click the green 🔍 Search Maps button below the map to open a second map with a Base map row offering three choices. OSM is the standard OpenStreetMap street map. Topo shows the official USGS topographic maps from The National Map — contours, hydrography, land cover and shaded relief, the same mapping used for hiking, hunting and back-country navigation in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. Imagery shows USGS aerial photography, mostly 1-metre NAIP. The search box finds any US town, county or landmark by name, so you are not limited to Elkader.

Reading the map like a paper quad. Click Grid to overlay the U.S. National Grid (USNG), labelled along the edges exactly as a printed topographic sheet is — at normal zoom the squares are one kilometre across, so you can read a six-figure grid reference by eye and judge distance directly off the map. Click Measure, then tap two points, to get the distance between them together with the grid bearing in degrees and mils, the true bearing, and the magnetic bearing to set on a compass.

Click 📍 My position to take a single GPS reading from your device. It marks where you are and reports your position as a USNG grid reference as well as plain latitude and longitude — USNG being the format FEMA and US search and rescue teams work from — with a Copy position button so you can paste it straight into a text message. It takes one reading and stops, rather than tracking continuously, to conserve your battery. Note that map tiles need cell coverage, but a GPS reading does not — your coordinates stay correct even where the map itself cannot load.

City	Elkader
State	Iowa (IA)
County	Clayton County
Country	United States of America
Timezone	Central Time (America/Chicago)

Latitude	42.853874
Longitude	-91.405416
Population	1,209
Density	341.5 /km²
Incorporated	Yes
ZIP Code	52043
Area Code	712
County Seat	Elkader
School District	Central Community School District

🌦 Goto Elkader Weather Page: Elkader, Iowa — Weather Warnings, Forecast, Radar, Satellite & Current Conditions

About Elkader, Iowa

Elkader is a locality in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. It has a population of approximately 1,209. The population density is 341.5 people per km². Elkader is located at 42.8539°N, 91.4054°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. Elkader is an incorporated locality. ZIP code: 52043.

Elkader claims its place within a deep limestone gorge where the Turkey River carves a deliberate, winding path through the rugged terrain of northeastern Iowa. It lies 44.9 miles west-northwest of Dubuque, IA (from Dubuque, IA: bearing 303°T), and is situated 19.1 miles southwest of Prairie du Chien. The limestone bluffs rise sharply from the riverbanks, casting long, cool shadows across the water as the light shifts toward evening. Beyond the immediate banks, the landscape transitions into the vast, undulating expanse of the driftless region, where the verdant canopy of Backbone State Forest lies sixteen miles distant. To the west, the horizon hints at the scale of the broader plains, while the proximity of French Hollow and the elevation at Lovers Leap Park provide vantage points to observe the geological complexity of the valley floor.

Elkader draws its identity from a fusion of pioneer ambition and the enduring influence of its nineteenth-century namesake, the Algerian leader Emir Abdelkader. The local economy persists as a quiet synthesis of agricultural stewardship and a modest, deliberate commerce, far removed from the frantic pace of larger metropolitan hubs. Residents navigate the seasons with a grounded sense of continuity, often moving along the Pony Hollow Trail or gathering in the shadow of the historic stone architecture that defines the central district. While the nearest recreational waters like Gassner Lake remain a short journey away, the pulse of the locality remains anchored to the Turkey River, which continues to shape the character of the streets and the quiet, literate civility of the people who reside here.

Nearby Outdoor Places

Carter House Museum (Museum) — 0.2 mi, 062° NE
Lovers Leap Park (Local Park) — 0.5 mi, 349° N
Pony Hollow Trail County Park (Local Park) — 0.8 mi, 145° SE
Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 1.2 mi, 149° SE · 2,440 acres
Motor Mill Access (Local Conservation Area) — 3.8 mi, 145° SE
Big Springs Wildlife Management Area (State Conservation Area) — 4.7 mi, 320° NW
Leonard Wildlife Management Area (State Conservation Area) — 5.6 mi, 186° S
Plagmans Barn Museum (Museum) — 11.4 mi, 133° SE
Wadena Veteran's Memorial (Monument) — 12.8 mi, 265° W
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 13.1 mi, 065° NE · 274k acres
Effigy Mounds National Monument (National Monument) — 13.1 mi, 064° NE · 2,460 acres
Wilder Memorial Museum (Museum) — 13.5 mi, 210° SW
World's Largest Strawberry (Public Artwork) — 13.5 mi, 209° SW
Monona Historical Museum (Museum) — 13.7 mi, 004° N
Pikes Peak State Park (State Park) — 14.1 mi, 057° NE
Wyalusing State Park (State Park) — 14.9 mi, 064° NE
Pine Creek (Clayton) Wildlife Management Area (National Conservation Area) — 15.6 mi, 148° SE · 50 acres
Crows Nest (Viewpoint) — 15.8 mi, 050° NE
Abraham Lincoln Statue (Monument) — 16.2 mi, 310° NW
Clermont Museum (Museum) — 16.2 mi, 309° NW
Veteran’s Memorial (Monument) — 16.3 mi, 107° E
Volga River State Recreation Area (State Recreation Area) — 16.8 mi, 275° W
Backbone Fish Hatchery (ruins) (Historic Ruins) — 17.2 mi, 208° SW
St. Feriole Island Riverfront Playground (Attraction) — 18.6 mi, 042° NE
St. Feriole Island Play Area (Attraction) — 18.8 mi, 042° NE
Little Bear Mound (Historic Ruins) — 19.9 mi, 034° NE
Richardson-Jakway House (Attraction) — 24.6 mi, 222° SW
Manchester Fish Hatchery (Attraction) — 27.1 mi, 179° S
Inwood Woodcarving Exhibit (Gallery) — 29.3 mi, 151° SE
Riverwalk Parks Community Bandshell (Theatre) — 36.2 mi, 224° SW

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