Scattering Ashes in Iowa — A Complete Guide

Everything Iowa families need to know about ash scattering laws, the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, state parks, and verified cemetery cremation options across the Hawkeye State.

Author's Note: I have not been to Iowa, but my cousin really enjoyed Iowa State University back in the day. Most of my reference to Iowa comes from the iconic film, Field of Dreams. I loved that film as much as anyone, and we still quote it regularly. I think visiting the Iowa State Fair would be on my bucket list. 

If you are thinking of scattering ashes in the state of Iowa, it may be helpful to know the official symbols:

  • State Flower: Wild Rose 🌺
  • State Tree: Oak Tree 🌳
  • State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch 🐦
  • State Rock: Geode 💎
  • State Song: "The Song of Iowa" 🎶
  • State Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain" ⚖️

Note: Iowa designates the geode as its official State Rock — not "State Stone" — enacted in 1967 by the Iowa General Assembly to promote tourism. Iowa is world-renowned for the large number of rare and beautiful geodes found in the state, especially near Keokuk in southeastern Iowa. Commonly called "Keokuk geodes," they are sought by collectors and museums worldwide. The word geode comes from Greek, meaning earth-like; geodes have a hard outer shell that when carefully broken open reveals a sparkling interior of mineral crystals — usually quartz and calcite. Geode State Park in Henry County is named for them. Iowa has only five official state symbols enacted by the General Assembly: the seal, flower, bird, tree, and rock. The Mississippi River is celebrated in Iowa's state seal imagery and in the lyrics of "The Song of Iowa," but it has never been designated an official state symbol by the legislature. Iowa has no officially designated State River.

How Prevalent Is Ash Scattering in Iowa?

The practice of scattering ashes has grown steadily in Iowa, reflecting national trends toward cremation and personalized memorials. In 2020, the cremation rate in Iowa was approximately 55%, and it continues to rise. As more Iowa families choose cremation, many are seeking meaningful ways to honor loved ones in the landscapes that define this state.

Iowa is a state of remarkable rivers, rolling prairies, and deep agricultural heritage. The Mississippi River forms the entire eastern border of the state — one of the most biologically rich and historically significant rivers in North America, flanked by limestone bluffs, bottomland forests, and the Effigy Mounds National Monument, where ancient Indigenous burial mounds shaped like birds and bears overlook the river valley. The Missouri River traces the western and southwestern borders of Iowa, separating the state from Nebraska and South Dakota. The Upper Iowa River in the northeast cuts through the Driftless Area — Iowa's most rugged terrain, untouched by the last glaciation — where deep limestone valleys, trout streams, and natural springs define a landscape unlike anywhere else in the state. The Loess Hills along the western edge of Iowa — wind-deposited silt bluffs unique to Iowa and China — offer extraordinary views over the Missouri River floodplain. Inland, the rolling till-plain farmland of central Iowa is punctuated by restored native prairie remnants, wetland corridors, and the Des Moines River winding through the state capital and beyond.

Iowa Laws on Scattering Ashes

Iowa's framework for ash scattering is relatively straightforward, governed primarily by the Iowa Administrative Code. Key provisions:

  • Iowa Admin. Code r. 641-97.13(3) — Scattering of cremated remains is subject to any applicable local ordinances or cemetery rules. The law prohibits scattering on public property or on private property without the permission of the property owner.
  • Iowa Code § 144.26 — A death certificate must be filed with the local registrar within 3 days of death and before final disposition.
  • Iowa Code § 331.805; Iowa Admin. Code 481-900.10 — A licensed funeral director is required to arrange cremation in Iowa. Crematories will not accept a body directly from the family. A county medical examiner must issue a cremation permit (ME-5) before any cremation can take place.
  • Iowa Admin. Code 645-100.6(4) — A body must be buried or cremated within 48 hours of death unless it is embalmed. Iowa does not allow refrigeration as an alternative to this requirement.
  • Iowa Admin. Code r. 645-100.1 — Iowa law defines a "scattering area" as a designated area where cremated remains may be commingled with other cremated remains — typically a dedicated cemetery scattering section.

What this means in practice: Iowa is notably clear that public land scattering without authorization is prohibited. Before scattering at any park, nature area, or waterway, you must obtain specific permission from the managing authority. Private property scattering with the landowner's consent is straightforward. Cemetery scattering areas are the most legally certain option.

Rules by location type:

  • Your own private property: Authorized. You are the consenting landowner.
  • Someone else's private property: Requires the owner's written or verbal consent per Iowa Admin. Code r. 641-97.13(3).
  • Public land (state parks, county parks, trails): Must obtain prior authorization from the managing authority. Contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at (515) 725-8200 or via iowadnr.gov for guidance on specific locations.
  • Mississippi River and Missouri River: These are navigable waters. Contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for guidance before any waterway scattering.
  • At sea (Lake Michigan or Atlantic/Pacific): The federal Clean Water Act requires scattering at least 3 nautical miles from shore. EPA notification is required within 30 days.
  • Effigy Mounds National Monument: Contact the monument superintendent at (563) 873-3491 before any ceremony. As an NPS unit, a Special Use Permit is required.
  • Aerial scattering: No Iowa state law restricts aerial scattering. Federal aviation regulations (14 CFR 91.15) apply — ashes must be removed from any container before release.

Cemetery Cremation Options in Iowa

Glendale Cemetery Scattering Garden — Des Moines (Central Iowa)

Location: 4909 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311 Phone: (515) 248-6320

Glendale Cemetery is one of Iowa's largest and most historically significant municipal cemeteries — a 176-acre city-owned cemetery established in 1904 that is now home to over 100,000 burials, with enough space remaining to serve Des Moines for another century. The cemetery originated as "Woodlawn Cemetery" on farmland purchased by the City of Des Moines in 1886 from Ebenezer Ingersoll. It was once considered so far from the city center it was thought it would never fill. Today it is a central landmark of the west side of Des Moines, notable for its 2-acre lake built by the Works Progress Administration in 1938–39. The cemetery's Abbey mausoleum, completed in 1912 and designed for 600 full crypts and 110 cremation urn niches, is the resting place of Iowa Governor and U.S. Senator Clyde L. Herring and Des Moines Mayor Charles F. Iles.

Glendale Cemetery's own cremation page explicitly confirms a dedicated scattering garden: "Our scattering garden offers a serene, natural alternative. Set amid gently landscaped grounds, it provides a tranquil and permanent place to lay ashes to rest. Names can be memorialized within the garden, ensuring a lasting presence in a space dedicated solely to remembrance and reflection." Pre-planning options are available that secure preferred locations and lock in today's pricing with interest-free payment options.

Phone: (515) 248-6320 Website: glendalecemetery.org

Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery — Cedar Rapids (East-Central Iowa)

Location: 4200 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 Phone: (319) 393-1511

Cedar Memorial Park is one of Iowa's premier privately operated cemeteries and funeral complexes — an 82-acre landmark situated between Cedar Rapids and Marion on 1st Avenue, founded in 1929 by Carl K. Linge, who conceived it as a "park plan" cemetery where enduring bronze memorials set flush with the ground would replace traditional large stone monuments. Now in its third generation of family stewardship under C. John Linge, Cedar Memorial has grown into a comprehensive memorial campus: the historic wooded cemetery, a natural limestone funeral home, Iowa's first state-of-the-art cremation center (built in 2001 in a prairie style modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright's aesthetic), a full-service reception facility, a flower shop, and a chapel and mausoleum patterned after old world English churches.

For cremated remains, Cedar Memorial offers several distinct garden areas. The Garden of Reflection — the newest area — features three ponds with fountains and meandering walkways. The Garden of Meditation is a peaceful, recessed garden reserved for cremation memorialization with a Meditation Wall and columbarium bench seating. The Garden of Tranquility offers above-ground niches in a serene garden setting. Notable burials include Iowa Governor and U.S. Senator Bourke B. Hickenlooper (1896–1971) and MLB pitcher Earl Whitehill (1899–1954). Contact Cedar Memorial directly at (319) 393-1511 to inquire about all available cremation options including any current scattering arrangements.

Website: cedarmemorial.com

Davenport Memorial Park — Davenport (Eastern Iowa / Quad Cities)

Location: 1022 E. 39th Street, Davenport, IA 52807 Phone: (563) 391-4612

Davenport Memorial Park is an 87-acre memorial park in Davenport that has served the families of Scott County since 1929, when it was established on farm ground in what was then the northern outskirts of the city — nestled between two neighboring cemeteries and designed to take full advantage of the natural ground contours. Today, mature trees with seasonal foliage, colorful floral gardens, and tasteful memorial adornments across multiple memorial gardens give the park a distinctive, park-like quality. As part of the Dignity Memorial network, Davenport Memorial Park offers a full range of burial and cremation options including interment of ashes in an ossuary and private family estate sections. Contact Davenport Memorial Park at (563) 391-4612 — available day or night — to inquire about all available cremation options and arrange a tour of the grounds.

Website: dignitymemorial.com/davenport-memorial-park

Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery — Waterloo (Northeast Iowa)

Location: 3430 W. 4th Street, Waterloo, IA 50701 Phone: (319) 232-4165

Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery is a nonprofit 501(c)(13) perpetual care cemetery established in 1929, serving the greater Waterloo–Cedar Falls community in Black Hawk County for nearly a century. The cemetery features 14 traditional gardens across its grounds and requires flush bronze-on-granite memorials, giving the park a clean, park-style aesthetic. For families choosing cremation, the cemetery's dedicated cremation garden is located on the northeast side of the grounds and provides multiple options for above-ground and below-ground burial of cremated remains. Contact Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery at (319) 232-4165 to discuss all available cremation options and any scattering arrangements.

Website: waterloomemorialparkcemetery.com

Are There Mail-In Options for Ash Scattering Services?

Yes. Iowa families — or families anywhere honoring a loved one — may choose Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Cremated remains are mailed directly to the working farm, where they are scattered respectfully according to the family's chosen preferences. No travel required.

Visit our service page at farmsteadscattering.com/collections/services, or call or text us at (814) 450-5432 to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scattering Ashes in Iowa

Is it legal to scatter ashes in Iowa?

Iowa law authorizes scattering on private property with the landowner's consent. Iowa Admin. Code r. 641-97.13(3) explicitly prohibits scattering on public property or private property without permission. Always obtain authorization before any outdoor scattering ceremony.

Can I scatter ashes on public land in Iowa?

Not without authorization. Iowa Admin. Code r. 641-97.13(3) prohibits scattering on public property without permission of the managing authority. Contact the Iowa DNR at (515) 725-8200 or the specific park or natural area superintendent before any ceremony on state or county land.

Can I scatter ashes along the Mississippi River in Iowa?

The Mississippi River is a federally navigable waterway. Scattering in or near the river requires checking with the Iowa DNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for specific location guidance. General public access areas along the river are public property and require authorization.

Does Iowa have a State River?

No. Iowa has only five officially designated state symbols: the seal, flower, bird, tree, and rock. The Mississippi River — though central to Iowa's history, geography, and state seal imagery — has never been enacted as a state symbol by the Iowa General Assembly. Iowa has no officially designated State River.

What is Iowa's State Rock, and how is it different from a State Stone?

Iowa's official symbol is the State Rock: Geode, designated in 1967 by the Iowa General Assembly. The term "State Rock" is the precise statutory language. Iowa has no separately designated State Stone or State Gemstone. Geodes are found in limestone formations with a hard outer shell; when carefully broken open, they reveal sparkling interiors of quartz and calcite crystals. The area around Keokuk in southeastern Iowa is world-famous for their abundance and quality.

Do I need a funeral director for cremation in Iowa?

Yes. Iowa law requires a licensed funeral director to arrange cremation — crematories will not accept a body directly from the family. A county medical examiner must also issue a cremation permit (ME-5) before any cremation can take place. Contact a licensed Iowa funeral director to manage the process.

How soon must cremation occur in Iowa?

Iowa law (Code 645-100.6(4)) requires that a body be buried or cremated within 48 hours of death unless it is embalmed. Iowa is one of a minority of states that does not allow refrigeration as an alternative to this requirement.

Does Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines have a scattering garden?

Yes — confirmed from Glendale Cemetery's own website. Their cremation page states: "Our scattering garden offers a serene, natural alternative. Set amid gently landscaped grounds, it provides a tranquil and permanent place to lay ashes to rest." Contact (515) 248-6320 for details and pricing.

Can I mail ashes for scattering from Iowa?

Yes. Cremated remains may be mailed within the United States via the U.S. Postal Service using Priority Mail Express. Farmstead Scattering Garden in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania accepts mail-in remains for private farm scattering. Call or text (814) 450-5432 or visit farmsteadscattering.com.

What is "The Song of Iowa" and when was it adopted?

"The Song of Iowa" was written by Major S.H.M. Byers in 1867 while imprisoned at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War, inspired by Confederate bands playing "Maryland, My Maryland" (set to "O Tannenbaum") outside his cell. He set his Iowa lyrics to the same melody. The Iowa Legislature adopted it as the official state song on March 20, 1911.

Legal and Regulatory References

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