Iowa Highway 187 is a highway 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...

. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 20

U.S. Route 20 in Iowa

U.S. Route 20 in Iowa is a major east–west artery which runs across the state, separating the northern third of Iowa from the southern two-thirds. It enters Iowa from Nebraska, concurrent with Interstate 129 and U.S Route 75, crossing the Missouri River at Sioux City. US 20 runs in a...

 southwest of Masonville

Masonville, Iowa

Masonville is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 104 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the western border between Delaware and Buchanan counties.-Geography:Masonville is located at ....

. Its northern terminus is at Iowa Highway 150

Iowa Highway 150

Iowa Highway 150 is a highway in eastern and northeastern Iowa. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Iowa Highway 150 is at an intersection with U.S. Route 218 in Vinton. Its northern terminus is in Calmar at an intersection with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa...

 south of Fayette

Fayette, Iowa

Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,300. It was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette is the home of Upper Iowa University, a small private college...

.

Route description

Iowa Highway 187 begins at an intersection with US 20

U.S. Route 20 in Iowa

U.S. Route 20 in Iowa is a major east–west artery which runs across the state, separating the northern third of Iowa from the southern two-thirds. It enters Iowa from Nebraska, concurrent with Interstate 129 and U.S Route 75, crossing the Missouri River at Sioux City. US 20 runs in a...

 southwest of Masonville

Masonville, Iowa

Masonville is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 104 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the western border between Delaware and Buchanan counties.-Geography:Masonville is located at ....

. It heads in a northward alignment from this point, passing through Lamont

Lamont, Iowa

Lamont is a city in Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The population was 503 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lamont is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

. North of Lamont, it intersects with IA 3 before turning to the northwest. The highway passes through Arlington

Arlington, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 429 in the city, with a population density of . There were 212 housing units, of which 191 were occupied....

 before turning directly to the west. Further west, it will turn to the north where it will terminate at an intersection with IA 150

Iowa Highway 150

Iowa Highway 150 is a highway in eastern and northeastern Iowa. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Iowa Highway 150 is at an intersection with U.S. Route 218 in Vinton. Its northern terminus is in Calmar at an intersection with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa...

 south of Fayette

Fayette, Iowa

Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,300. It was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette is the home of Upper Iowa University, a small private college...

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History

At the time of designation, the highway was originally aligned from US 20 heading northward to the western gate of the Backbone State Park

Backbone State Park

Backbone State Park is Iowa's oldest state park, dedicated in 1919. 1200 acres were initially donated by E.M. Carr of Lamont, Iowa. Located in the valley of the Maquoketa River, it is approximately three miles south of Strawberry Point in Delaware County. Backbone Lake Dam, a relatively low dam...

, replacing the old IA 208. In 1980, the alignment had a major overhaul, being realigned northward through Lamont and ending at IA 3. Then in 1981, it was extended again to IA 150 south of Fayette, which is its present day designation.

Major intersections