Iowa Highway 44 is an east–west highway in the central and west-central portions of the state. It runs parallel to Interstate 80, which runs 10 miles (16.1 km) to the north for most of its route. Iowa 44 begins at its junction with U.S. Highway 30 four miles (6 km) northeast of Logan. It ends at an interchange with the Iowa Highway 141

Iowa Highway 141

Iowa Highway 141 is a major east–west highway in the western and central portions of the state. It is the most direct link between Sioux City and Des Moines. It also serves as a freeway link between Des Moines and the outlying communities of Perry, Granger, and Grimes. Iowa 141's western...

 freeway at Grimes. Iowa 44 was created in 1969 when Iowa Highway 64 was shortened to its current route in eastern Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

. Most of the route is a part of the Western Skies Scenic Byway.

Route description

Iowa Highway 44 begins between Logan and Woodbine

Woodbine, Iowa

Woodbine is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States, along the Boyer River. The population was 1,564 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Woodbine is located at ....

 on U.S. Highway 30. It goes east to Portsmouth

Portsmouth, Iowa

Portsmouth is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States. The population was 225 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Portsmouth is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

, where it intersects Iowa Highway 191

Iowa Highway 191

Iowa Highway 191 is a highway in western Iowa. It runs for in a north–south direction. For its entire length, Iowa 191 closely parallels Mosquito Creek and a line of the BNSF Railway. Iowa 191 begins at Interstate 680 north of Neola and ends at Iowa Highway 37 in Earling. Previously, it...

, then continues east to Harlan

Harlan, Iowa

Harlan is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 5,282 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Shelby County.-History:...

, where it intersects U.S. Highway 59. It continues east from Harlan and intersects Iowa Highway 173

Iowa Highway 173

Iowa Highway 173 is a highway in western Iowa which runs in a south–north alignment. Its southern terminus is at Iowa Highway 83 northwest of Atlantic. Its northern terminus is in Kimballton at an intersection with Iowa Highway 44.-Route description:...

 at Kimballton

Kimballton, Iowa

Kimballton is a city in Audubon County, Iowa, United States. The population was 342 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kimballton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

 and U.S. Highway 71 at Hamlin

Hamlin, Iowa

Hamlin is a unincorporated community in Audubon County, Iowa, United States. The population was 251 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hamlin is located at -Demographics:...

. It then continues to Guthrie Center

Guthrie Center, Iowa

Guthrie Center is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa, United States, along the South Raccoon River. The population was 1,668 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Guthrie County....

, where it intersects Iowa Highway 25

Iowa Highway 25

Iowa Highway 25 is a north–south highway in the southwest and west-central portion of the state. Highway 25's southern terminus is at its junction with Iowa Highway 2 seven miles south of Clearfield. This intersection occurs in the middle of a curve on Highway 2. Its northern terminus is at...

 and Panora

Panora, Iowa

Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,175 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

, where it intersects Iowa Highway 4. It then intersects U.S. Highway 169 three miles (5 km) before entering Dallas Center

Dallas Center, Iowa

Dallas Center is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, USA. The population was 1,595 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dallas Center is located at ....

  and ends at a freeway interchange with Iowa Highway 141

Iowa Highway 141

Iowa Highway 141 is a major east–west highway in the western and central portions of the state. It is the most direct link between Sioux City and Des Moines. It also serves as a freeway link between Des Moines and the outlying communities of Perry, Granger, and Grimes. Iowa 141's western...

 in Grimes

Grimes, Iowa

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,098 people, 1,887 households, and 1,437 families residing in the city. The population density was 569.4 people per square mile . There were 1,958 housing units at an average density of 218.7 per square mile...

 in the Des Moines metropolitan area

Des Moines metropolitan area

The Des Moines metropolitan area, officially known as the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area , consists of five counties in central Iowa, United States: Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, and Guthrie...

.

History

Iowa 44 was created on January 1, 1969, when the Iowa State Highway Commission reorganized the state's primary highway system. Iowa 44 was one of 26 state highways to receive a new route number. Prior to 1969, what is now Iowa 44 was part of two highways, Iowa 64 and Iowa 39. Since its designation, the route has undergone few changes.

The westernmost 74 miles (119.1 km) of Iowa 44 are part of the state's Western Skies Scenic Byway.

Major intersections