8hues in Des Moines, IA

Des Moines is the capital of Iowa · 41.5868, -93.6250 · updated 2026-08-25

8hues is a map-based social community for adult (18+) gay men — in Des Moines and everywhere else. Open the map, set where you are, and see who is around: message them, start a group, or start a video room. No card, no trial, no paywall.

Privacy is a setting you control, and how you present yourself is your own. The map is a tool; what people do with it is theirs.

How it works here

The map centres on Des Moines at 41.5868, -93.6250. You'll see who else is nearby, you can message them, and you can start a video call without installing anything — 8hues runs in the browser.

Travelling to Des Moines rather than living here? Changing your location is free on 8hues and always will be. Type the city into travel mode and the map moves with you. It isn't a paid feature and it isn't rationed.

Your location stays yours

Nobody is ever shown your exact position. 8hues places you at a random point inside a circle you control — anywhere from 250 feet to 13 miles wide — and that point stays put while you do, so no one can watch it drift and work out where you really are. Your own map shows your true position; theirs never does.

You can also browse invisibly, block anyone, and control who sees you. The full detail is in the privacy policy.

What it costs

Nothing. There is no payment processor connected to 8hues and no card details are collected. Messaging, video rooms, reading receipts, incognito browsing and changing your location are all simply on.

Public places around Des Moines

Open spaces and venues in and near Des Moines, from OpenStreetMap. Each one opens the map centred there, so you can see the area before you go anywhere.

• The Garden Nightclub — LGBTQ+ venue
• Reno Memorial Dog Park — park
• Brown's Woods — nature reserve
• The Garden — garden
• Easter Lake Beach — beach
• Barb Wire Point — viewpoint
• Jeannie's Bottle — bar
• Euro Bar & Grill — pub
• PLATFORM — club
• Starbucks — café
• Stewart Square Park — park
• Denman Woods — nature reserve

Nearby cities

• Lincoln, NE — 169 mi
• Kansas City, MO — 179 mi
• Topeka, KS — 206 mi
• Jefferson City, MO — 222 mi
• Saint Paul, MN — 234 mi
• Minneapolis, MN — 235 mi

Getting started in Des Moines

• Open the map and allow location, or drop yourself on the map by hand.
• Set your privacy radius before you do anything else — it's in the menu.
• Add a photo and a line about yourself; profiles with neither get ignored.
• Read the safety guidance. Members are not identity-verified.