Exhibit 5.1

                               February 11, 2000



Board of Directors
McLeodUSA Incorporated
McLeodUSA Technology Park
6400 C Street, SW, P.O. Box 3177
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3177

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          We are acting as special counsel to McLeodUSA Incorporated, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with its registration statement on
Form S-4, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed offering of up to 33,275,152
shares (the "Shares") of the Company's Class A common stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "McLeodUSA Class A Common Stock"), to shareholders of Splitrock
Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Splitrock Holdings").  The Shares are
being offered in connection with that certain merger (the "Merger") of Southside
Acquisition Corporation, a newly formed Delaware corporation and wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company ("Merger Sub"), with and into Splitrock Holdings, as
contemplated by the terms of that certain Amended and Restated Agreement and
Plan of Merger by and among the Company, Merger Sub, Splitrock Holdings,
Splitrock Services, Inc. and Splitrock Merger Sub, Inc., dated as of
February 11, 2000 (the "Merger Agreement").   This opinion letter is
furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of
Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. (S) 229.601(b)(5), in connection
with the Registration Statement.

          For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of the
following documents:

          1.  An executed copy of the Registration Statement.

          2.   The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
               Company, as certified by the Secretary of State of the State of
               Delaware on September 14, 1999 and by the Secretary of the
               Company on the date hereof as being complete, accurate and in
               effect.

          3.   The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as certified by
               the Secretary of the Company on the date hereof as being
               complete, accurate and in effect.

          4.   An executed copy of the Merger Agreement.


          5.   Resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted at
               meetings held on January 6, 2000 and February 7, 2000, as
               certified by the Secretary of the Company on the date hereof as
               then being complete, accurate and in effect, relating to the
               issuance of the Shares and arrangements in connection therewith.

          In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the
accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of
all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of
all documents submitted to us as copies (including telecopies).  This opinion
letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the
foregoing.

          This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the
Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended.  We express no opinion herein as
to any other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, or regulations.  As used herein,
the term "Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended" includes the statutory
provisions contained therein, all applicable provisions of the Delaware
Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws.

          Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the
opinion that following (i) effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (ii) the
effectiveness of the Merger under applicable law and the issuance of the Shares
pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement and (iii) receipt by the Company
of the consideration for the Shares specified in the resolutions of the Board of
Directors and in the Merger Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.

          This opinion letter has been prepared solely for your use in
connection with the Registration Statement and speaks as of the date hereof.  We
assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to
the delivery of this opinion letter.

          We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1
to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the joint proxy statement/prospectus constituting a
part of the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby
admit that we are an "expert" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended.


                                    Very truly yours,



                                    /s/ Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
                                    --------------------------
                                    HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.