Mahaska County in southeastern Iowa is centered on Oskaloosa and a landscape divided by the North Skunk River, South Skunk River, Des Moines River, and many smaller creeks. Iowa 92 crosses Oskaloosa from west to east, Iowa 163 provides a major reference south of the city, and Iowa 146 helps locate New Sharon in the north. Fremont and Eddyville mark the southeastern and southern edges, while University Park and Beacon sit close to Oskaloosa. This page explains the supplied county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps, and high-resolution JPG versions can be downloaded in a ZIP near the end of the article. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
The easiest way to orient the county is to begin with Oskaloosa and Iowa 92. New Sharon lies to the north, Fremont to the southeast, and Eddyville at the southern edge. The elevation sheet shows higher rolling ground across much of the north and central uplands, while broad green lowlands follow the South Skunk River and Des Moines River systems.
Table of Contents
Oskaloosa and Iowa 92 provide the main road reference
Oskaloosa is the strongest first landmark on the general county map. Iowa 92 passes through the city and continues east toward Rose Hill. Iowa 163 forms another important route south of Oskaloosa, and Iowa 63 is also labeled close to the urban area. Using those roads together provides a simple way to locate the central and southern county.
New Sharon lies near Iowa 146 in the north, while Fremont is reached from the southeastern side near Iowa 23. Iowa 149 is labeled near the southeastern boundary, and Eddyville anchors the southern edge. The map is intended for county-scale orientation rather than live navigation, so current construction and closures should be checked separately.
The rural road grid is comparatively straight, but the streams cut through the uplands in winding valleys. Numerous tributaries occupy the countryside north and east of Oskaloosa, while the South Skunk and Des Moines river systems create much broader lowlands to the central and southwestern sides. Comparing the road and water sheets makes these terrain differences easier to see.
Oskaloosa dominates the six-city distribution
The city map ranks Oskaloosa first with a mapped population of 11,504. New Sharon is second at 2,180 and Eddyville third at 1,163. Fremont is fourth at 924, University Park fifth at 645, and Beacon sixth at 425. The largest community is concentrated near the center-south of the county, while the smaller places provide useful references toward the north, south, southeast, and immediate Oskaloosa area.
New Sharon is the clearest northern reference, Eddyville the southern one, and Fremont the southeastern one. University Park and Beacon help divide the Oskaloosa area. Neighboring counties shown around the city map include Poweshiek, Keokuk, Marion, Jasper, Monroe, and Wapello, which places Mahaska County within southeastern Iowa.
The city pattern becomes more useful when compared with relief. The countryside north of Oskaloosa and around New Sharon contains many higher ridges. The Eddyville side is closer to the broad Des Moines River lowland, while the Fremont side is cut by several smaller southeastern creek valleys.
South Skunk River creates the broad central lowland
South Skunk River is one of the dominant waterways on the terrain-and-water map. It crosses the central part of the county in a broad winding corridor and forms extensive low terrain north of Oskaloosa. On the elevation sheet, the same route appears as a strong green band between higher uplands.
Middle Creek occupies the uplands between the two larger Skunk River corridors. North Skunk River forms another major valley near the northern side, and Goose Lake provides a fixed water reference close to that system. Reading all three features together makes the northern and central ridge pattern easier to understand.
This sheet is intended for geographic reference rather than flood forecasting, current water levels, navigation, parcel boundaries, or legal water limits. Its main value is showing how the large rivers and smaller tributaries divide the county’s uplands and lowlands.
Muchakinock Creek and Des Moines River shape the southwest
Muchakinock Creek follows a long valley southwest of Oskaloosa, while Little Muchakinock Creek forms a separate nearby corridor. Spring Creek crosses the central-southern countryside and helps locate the terrain around Lake Keomah. These creeks are narrower than the South Skunk River but still appear as distinct lower routes on the elevation sheet.
Des Moines River forms the largest lowland along the southwestern edge, with Saint Josephs Creek approaching the same area. N Coal Creek and Coal Creek cut additional valleys through the southwest. Around Eddyville, the broad river corridor becomes especially easy to recognize, while Bluff Creek adds another lower tributary route nearby.
Cedar Creek crosses the southeastern side and divides the uplands toward Fremont. These smaller valleys are useful for understanding why the terrain south and east of Oskaloosa contains so many short ridges. Pairing the creek names with nearby towns makes the drainage network easier to remember.
Elevation ranges from 200 to 279 meters
The supplied elevation map shows an actual county range of about 200 to 279 meters, with a mean elevation of 242 meters. Higher brown terrain is concentrated across much of the north and central uplands, while lower green ground follows South Skunk River through the county. The southwestern Des Moines River corridor is even broader and lower, creating a strong contrast with the northern ridges.
The northern high ground is not one smooth surface. North Skunk River, Middle Creek, and many smaller tributaries carve repeated valleys into the uplands. In the center, South Skunk River creates a wider low corridor, while Muchakinock Creek and Spring Creek add more lower routes to the south. The Des Moines River lowland expands across the southwest and is one of the clearest terrain features on the map.
The elevation colors are designed for broad terrain comparison rather than survey-grade measurement. Exact parcel elevation, road grade, engineering design, or construction work requires original elevation data or professional surveying. For general map reading, the key pattern is the transition from higher northern ridges into the central and southwestern river lowlands.
Roads and three major river corridors reveal the county’s structure
The general map is easy to orient with Iowa 92 and Iowa 163, while the terrain map is organized by North Skunk River, South Skunk River, and Des Moines River. Oskaloosa is the best central reference for comparing the road and drainage layers, and New Sharon helps locate the higher northern side.
Eddyville works well for the southwestern Des Moines River lowland, while Fremont provides a reference for the southeastern Cedar Creek country. Looking at the same places across the county, city, water, and elevation maps makes Mahaska County’s road network and relief much easier to understand.
Choose the Mahaska County map that fits the task
Use the general county map when you need towns and numbered roads in one view. It is the quickest way to compare Oskaloosa, New Sharon, Eddyville, Fremont, University Park, and Beacon with Iowa 92, Iowa 163, Iowa 146, Iowa 23, and Iowa 149. The city map is better when the goal is to compare the six highlighted communities and the population ranking shown on the supplied graphic.
The terrain-and-water map is best for North Skunk River, South Skunk River, Des Moines River, Middle Creek, Muchakinock Creek, Little Muchakinock Creek, Spring Creek, Coal Creek, Cedar Creek, Lake Keomah, and Goose Lake. The elevation map adds the 200–279 m range and makes the higher northern uplands and lower central-southwestern river corridors immediately visible.
The WebP images in the article are optimized for quick browser viewing. For printing, classroom use, presentations, or closer comparison, the ZIP below contains the county, major-city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps as high-resolution JPG files. They are general-reference graphics and do not replace legal boundary records, current transportation data, flood information, or precise survey measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which map is best for locating Oskaloosa and New Sharon?
The general county map is the best starting point. Oskaloosa is the main central-southern reference near Iowa 92 and Iowa 163, while New Sharon lies farther north near Iowa 146. Eddyville, Fremont, University Park, and Beacon are also labeled on the same sheet.
What are the main rivers, creeks, and lakes shown in Mahaska County?
North Skunk River and South Skunk River form the major northern and central valleys, while Des Moines River dominates the southwest. Middle Creek, Muchakinock Creek, Little Muchakinock Creek, Spring Creek, Coal Creek, and Cedar Creek add other important valleys. Lake Keomah and Goose Lake are also labeled.
What does the 200–279 m elevation range show?
The elevation map shows higher terrain across much of the north and central uplands and lower ground along South Skunk River and Des Moines River. The mapped mean elevation is 242 meters. Precise site elevations require original elevation data or professional survey information.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains four high-resolution JPG maps for Mahaska County, Iowa: county, major cities, terrain and water, and elevation.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and reference data
The links below provide authoritative U.S. government source data for county boundaries, hydrography, and elevation represented in the supplied map set.
These maps are intended for general geographic reference, learning, printing, and visual comparison. Legal boundaries, ownership, current road conditions, flood risk, water levels, and precise elevations should be checked against the responsible agency’s current records.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.
These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
