Story County in central Iowa is anchored by Ames and Nevada, with Huxley, Story City, Roland, Slater, and several smaller communities spread across the county. I-35 provides the main north-south interstate reference near Ames, while U.S. 30 crosses the county through Ames, Nevada, and Colo. Routes 69 and 65 help locate the southern and eastern communities, and routes 210 and 330 mark the southern edge. This page explains the supplied county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps, and high-resolution JPG copies can be downloaded in the ZIP near the end of the article. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
The terrain is not uniform. Broad lower ground follows the South Skunk River system west and south of Ames, while higher land becomes more prominent across the northeastern and eastern parts of the county. East and West Indian Creek carve narrower valleys through the central-eastern uplands. The supplied elevation sheet spans 254 to 354 meters, with a mapped mean of 307 meters.
Table of Contents
Ames and Nevada define the U.S. 30 corridor
Ames is the clearest starting point on the general county map. I-35 passes just east of the city, and U.S. 30 runs east toward Nevada and Colo. Iowa State University is marked within Ames and provides another familiar reference inside the county’s largest urban area.
Nevada lies near the center of the county, while Colo sits farther east along U.S. 30. Story City is in the northwest near route 35, Roland lies farther east, and Zearing provides a northeastern reference. Collins and Maxwell help locate the southeastern and south-central parts of the county.
South of Ames, route 69 reaches Huxley, with Slater near the southern boundary. Cambridge lies east of Huxley and Kelley southwest of Ames. Route 65 provides a north-south reference on the eastern side through the Zearing-Colo-Collins area, while routes 210 and 330 help orient the southern edge.
The general map is intended for county-scale orientation rather than live navigation. Current construction, closures, and detailed access information should be checked with up-to-date transportation sources.
Ames dominates the six-city population ranking
The city map ranks Ames first with a mapped population of 67,669. Nevada is second at 6,983, Huxley third at 4,544, Story City fourth at 3,998, Roland fifth at 1,559, and Slater sixth at 1,401.
Ames is concentrated in the west-central part of the county, while Nevada anchors the center-east. Huxley and Slater provide southern references, and Story City and Roland divide the north. The pattern shows a very large population center in Ames with much smaller towns distributed around it.
Neighboring county labels include Boone and Polk to the west, Hardin and Hamilton to the north, Marshall and Dallas to the east, and Jasper to the southwest. Those labels help place Story County in central Iowa and clarify how Ames and Nevada relate to surrounding counties.
South Skunk River creates the broad western and southern lowland
South Skunk River is the strongest water feature on the western side of the terrain-and-water map. It runs from the northwest toward Ames and continues south, where the broader Skunk River system defines another low corridor. On the elevation sheet, these river areas appear in deep green and form some of the county’s lowest terrain.
Keigley Branch is labeled in the northwest, with Comar Lake nearby. Ada Hayden Lake provides a strong water reference north of Ames, while Lake LaVerne appears within the Iowa State University area. Ballard Creek crosses the southwest and helps trace the lower terrain toward the southern boundary.
This map is intended for general geographic reference. It does not provide current water levels, flood forecasts, navigation limits, parcel boundaries, or legal water boundaries, so those questions require current agency information.
East and West Indian Creek cut through the central-eastern uplands
W Indian Creek and E Indian Creek form separate north-south valleys through the central-eastern portion of the county. Numerous smaller tributaries branch into those waterways, creating a much more dissected landscape east of Nevada than the broad lowland west of Ames.
Dye Creek is labeled east of E Indian Creek. Twin Anchors Lake and Hickory Lake sit farther south, while Dakins Lake provides another fixed water reference in the northeast. These smaller water features are useful for distinguishing rural areas that otherwise appear similar on the general road map.
The contrast between the river systems is clear. South Skunk River creates a broad low area on the western and southern side, while the Indian Creek system occupies narrower valleys separated by higher ridges across the center-east.
Elevation ranges from 254 to 354 meters
The supplied elevation map shows an actual county range of about 254 to 354 meters, with a mean elevation of 307 meters. The highest brown terrain is concentrated across much of the northeast and east, with additional higher ground in the north-central area. Lower green terrain is broadest west and south of Ames along the South Skunk River system.
Indian Creek and its tributaries cut green channels through the higher central-eastern ground. The northwest also contains lower stream valleys, but the widest continuous low area extends from the Ames side toward the southern county. The total mapped relief is about 100 meters.
The elevation colors are designed for broad terrain comparison rather than survey-grade measurement. Exact parcel elevations, road grades, engineering design, and construction work require original elevation data or professional surveying.
Ames, Nevada, and Story City reveal different terrain zones
Ames is useful for understanding the western lowland because it lies close to the South Skunk River system. Moving east toward Nevada brings more rolling terrain and narrower Indian Creek valleys. Traveling north toward Story City and Roland reaches higher ground mixed with smaller tributaries.
South toward Huxley and Slater, lower terrain connects with the Ames-side drainage, while the Maxwell and Collins side contains another network of smaller valleys. Looking at the same towns across the road, water, and elevation maps makes these terrain changes much easier to follow.
Choose the Story County map that fits the task
Use the general county map when you need towns and major roads in one view. It is the quickest way to compare Ames, Nevada, Colo, Story City, Roland, Huxley, Slater, Zearing, Collins, and Maxwell with I-35, U.S. 30, routes 69 and 65, and the southern 210 and 330 references. The city map is better for comparing the six highlighted communities and their mapped population ranking.
The terrain-and-water map is best for South Skunk River, Skunk River, E Indian Creek, W Indian Creek, Ballard Creek, Dye Creek, Ada Hayden Lake, Lake LaVerne, Twin Anchors Lake, Hickory Lake, and Dakins Lake. The elevation map adds the 254–354 m range and makes the contrast between broad lowlands and higher northeastern terrain easier to see.
The WebP images in the article are optimized for quick browser viewing. For printing, classroom use, presentations, or closer regional 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 rather than legal, flood, navigation, or engineering products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which map is best for locating Ames and Nevada?
The general county map is the best starting point. Ames is in the west-central part of the county and Nevada lies to the east, with U.S. 30 providing a clear east-west reference. I-35 and route 69 help orient the Ames side.
What are the main rivers, creeks, and lakes shown in Story County?
South Skunk River and Skunk River are the strongest western and southern water references, while E Indian Creek and W Indian Creek cross the central-eastern area. Ada Hayden Lake, Lake LaVerne, Twin Anchors Lake, Hickory Lake, and Dakins Lake are also labeled.
What does the 254–354 m elevation range show?
The elevation map shows higher terrain across much of the northeast and east and lower ground west and south of Ames along the major river corridors. The mapped mean elevation is 307 meters. Precise site elevations require original elevation data or professional survey information.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains four high-resolution JPG maps for Story 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
Story County’s official GIS pages provide county-specific mapping resources, while the federal links below provide boundary, hydrography, and elevation reference data.
- Story County – Maps and GIS Data for Download
- Story County – Interactive Maps & Geographic Data
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles
- USGS National Hydrography
- USGS 3D Elevation Program
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.
