Pikes Peak State Park
State park · Clayton County ·

Pikes Peak State Park

State park · Clayton County ·

500-foot bluffs overlook Mississippi River, bike trails, camping

Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null
Pikes Peak State Park by null

Information

32264 Pikes Peak Rd, McGregor, IA 52157 Get directions

Information

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32264 Pikes Peak Rd, McGregor, IA 52157 Get directions

+1 563 873 2341
iowadnr.gov
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Dec 12, 2025

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51 Most Romantic Places in the U.S.A.

"It's a bluff-top park with 500-foot overlooks of the Mississippi River, Bridal Veil Falls (ideal for engaged couples), archaeological sites like Bear Mound, and abundant bike and walking trails that feel dramatic and romantic." - Cailey Rizzo Cailey Rizzo Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. She specializes in reporting on travel, culture, and the arts. She is currently based in Brooklyn. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

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Pikes Peak State Park

Bethany

Google
As full time rvers, we know good & bad campgrounds ans parks. This isn't just a huge state park, its just about right. The sites were large enough to fit my jeep, our 4 door truck with 8 foot bed, and our grand design momentum 380th (triple axel) and we stayed in site 15. There are pit toilets right behind out site we didnt need but were available. The bath house and flushing toilet restrooms were already closed for the season and signs said they closed october 19th. There are a hand full of walking trails that we took with our dog. The park is pet friendly but no dog park. Some site were pretty level and some were not at all. We did not come during peak season so we picked our spot upon arrival as everyone pays online with a qr code available at the front to make it simple. Come in tax and all at $25, pretty amazing price for power hookups. Some sites have power, some have power & water. Our site 15 had power and a water pipe across the road if needed. There is a dump site at the campground, as well. Great park at a great price with beautiful views!

REM P.

Google
Absolutely stunning! This park has one of the most unique and beautiful views in Iowa. The trail system is well organized and easy to navigate. Bridal Veil falls is easy to get to and super pretty! The campsite #20 was nice in that it backed up to the woods, has electric, shade, fire pit and picnic table. Water nearby and an outhouse. The Camp Host was extremely helpful. We are new RVers with an older motor home that wouldn’t start and we couldn’t figure it out. He came to give us a jump and ended up finding a battery connection issue that he cleaned up enough to get us rolling, so we could head home. Wish we could have stayed long and we will be back!

shawn K.

Google
Nice and spacious campground. Great roads through the campground but some sites need a bit of leveling. We were in pull through site 32 and it was very easy in/out and level for a larger RV. The hiking and biking trails were well kept. We were able to bike all the way to town and back about 5 miles each way. We do have fat tire e-bikes and there were just a couple slow spots for this older lady! Was a fun ride and not too strenuous with a little assist. Views of Mississippi were beautiful.

Carla P.

Google
Always love camping here, great scenes, trails and campground. The campground has really been upgraded, lots more concrete not sure how I feel about that yet, but the campground is very nice and the shower rooms are good. The trails and scenes are always good. They did remove the children's playground up by the camp store, not sure why they did that, but overall very good experience.

Jeremy S.

Google
Great views of the Mississippi. Great overlooks. Good hiking. Bridal veil falls was a bit underwhelming but a nice hike. Definitely go if you like great views, walks and exploring the area.

Amy L.

Google
Beautiful views! I only had time for the scenic overlook near the parking lot and the short trail to the waterfall. I would absolutely visit again if I'm in the area! The overlook was stroller friendly/dog friendly/ and wheelchair friendly! The trail to the waterfall has many steps. Not suitable for those with difficulty walking. There were many picnic areas and a large parking area. Clean but older plumbed bathroom near concession stand. Would recommend!

Randy K.

Google
Very nice state camp ground with a variety of sites and pullins to tent camping for youth groups. Electric 50amp sites and a few communal water stations are available. Nice trails with a waterfall and multiple lookout sites over the Mississippi River. Bike trail to town is about 5-6 mi downward slope coming back either be in good shape or have an e-bike to assist.

Jodi O.

Google
We enjoy Pikes Peak. It's a nice drive through town to get to the point and the views are wonderful. They have clean bathrooms and a gift store that sells drinks on a hot day. I finally visited in late fall. It's equally beautiful and colorful. But they do close the nice bathrooms later in the season.
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Brita R.

Yelp
Pikes Peak State Park is a very beautiful national park in Iowa. I first went to Pikes Peak State Park to see their waterfalls, which are underwhelming, but the rest of the park makes up for it, with it's majestic cliffs, trails, and outlooks. The park is currently working on replacing their long wooden staircase trail leading down into their main waterfall. I hiked most of their trails which were very beautiful to walk along and this is a great park for pictures. Definitely a must see national park!

Matt D.

Yelp
A great park with many miles of beautiful hiking trails. The campground is well maintained and well spaced. McGregor IA is one of many cool little river towns.
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Scott M.

Yelp
The lady from the incline lift in Dubuque Highly recommended stopping here, [Well off the beaten path.] The view was great, But the rain dampened our stay. Lots of good hiking. The Mouth often Wisconsin River feeds in right across from it.
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Alyssa M.

Yelp
Amazing views of the Mississippi River here! We hiked a few of the shorter trails. We saw a water fall on our hike. You could definitely spend a whole day hiking here! The park also has camping grounds and bathrooms.
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Jason M.

Yelp
One of the best scenic overlooks on the Mississippi River, Pike's Peak also offers camping and hiking as well. If you are camping, there are a limited number of electric sites, and many of these are tight to back into. Be sure to check the dimensions of your camper before you choose your site. There are also a fair number of walkup sites, ones that you cant reserve ahead of time, but are on a first come basis. The best parts of staying here is of course the overlook, but there is also a nice selection of hikes (including one with a waterfall) and on weekends in the summer the nearby town of McGregor has a flea market and plenty of fun shops. Pikes Peak is a great weekend getaway in the summer or fall.
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Renaissace S.

Yelp
Beautiful view , coming back for sure they have nice barbecue spots , great for family and friends
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Alexa M.

Yelp
My husband, myself and our beautiful little dog hiked along here. It was pretty quiet here, I think we only saw 1 or 2 other people on the bigger trails (10 miles I believe). We even saw a deer hanging out as we made it up the first half of that hike. When we first got into town, the weather wasn't super great so we did some of the smaller hikes (we only did 3 miles that day), but the sites were beautiful and the steep stairs definitely still made it feel like a workout.
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Michelle F.

Yelp
Beautiful place. Great hiking trails winding around no wooded areas and hills. Also beautiful views of the Mississippi River. Dog friendly!
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Amy P.

Yelp
Beautiful place to overlook the Mississsippi River. Didnt go on many, but there's a few trails to take
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Linzi F.

Yelp
Looking for a day trip from Cedar Rapids? Drive up here. I like to take my out of town friends here for the day to see the view and go for a hike and enjoy lunch. The view is breath taking you can see Wisconsin on the other side. This is a Iowa moment to be treasured.

Keri R.

Yelp
We went this past week and loved it. The lady at the concession stand was very helpful and recommended seeing Bridal Veil Falls which was a nice short walk. Note that there are stairs but nothing bad. We also took our dog who had a blast.
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Doug D.

Yelp
Must visit park for a fun weekend. Amazing views, trails including effigy mounds at the park. Clean campground with friendly hosts. Cleanest bathrooms of any campground. Firewood available and concession stand. Nearby Effigy Mounds National Monument, Macgregor, and the bigger Prairie du Chien have lots of small town sites to see. We had a lot of bugs, but it's camping. Bring the yard guard or screen room and enjoy.
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Arthur M.

Yelp
The view from the top of the Mississippi River is stunning. The scenery has stayed much the same since the days of the Laurentide here in the driftless zone. They called these bluffs the Mississippi Mountain Range years ago. The indigenous built mounds in the shape of a group of bears, climbing up out of the valley. We passed a waterfall and followed their steps. At the end of the strip of land with the mounds, on a wooden bench facing the bluff droppin gdown to the Mississippi, I sat silently listening to the animals and rising winds.
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Krissy M.

Yelp
Took a short hike here this past weekend while visiting family near Lansing, IA. The park is very clean - walkways for hiking are clearly marked and the path down to the waterfalls and various outlooks are like wooden boardwalks - very nice views.

Ronald H.

Yelp
Anyone giving less than five stars nuts. Miles of trails to hike. Awesome vistas. Loaded with deer, turkey, and song birds.

Kristine K.

Yelp
What a beautiful spot. Great trails and well kept. The views are amazing. Very informative about their history.
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Amber M.

Yelp
Came here with the dogs on a lazy Saturday to explore the state parks in the PdC area, very impressed with this state park. Gorgeous views & very well maintained. Loved that some of the path was paved and the stairs to the Bridal Veil trail were super fun. Also, The drive to this place was fun because McGregor is a cute little town right on the river.
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Tracy M.

Yelp
I loved this park. There was plenty of parking space. The pikes peak outlook was not far from the parking lot. The trails were labeled easily for people to follow. I enjoyed the great views and the bridal veils water fall. It allowed me to capture some great pictures. I would love to go back to this park!
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Jeremy H.

Yelp
I love it when people complain about "rustic" restrooms... the shower building was open... and I love it when people complain about bugs... like the dnr could control that... some people need to stop complaining....
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Gayle S.

Yelp
This state park is very close to the river and has great views. It is close to other hiking type activities. That is where my stars stop. The rustic bathroom has a screen door on it that you can see through. No privacy. The campsites are very close. No privacy. The place was loud. We had people walking and riding bikes through our campsite the whole weekend. It was ridiculous. One of the kids doing this almost hit my dog. If you want to get under my skin mess with my dog. Wood was sold by the bucket. We had to load in the bucket ourselves. There was a store somewhere. We never found it. Oh, and there were God awful bugs. Gnats, black flys, love bugs. This made sitting outside unbearable. Constantly swatting at the bugs. Even my dog wanted to go in the tent to get away from the bugs. We were all bitten at various times and had to take Benadryl. Overall, a poor experience and I won't be back.
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Ed F.

Yelp
MY favorite view in the state. I could stand on the observation deck for hours watching eagles soaring below you, barges tugging their cargo, trains going by - all from 500' above the Mississippi. Hike the trails and check out ancient Indian mounds while you're in the area. A great place to see the fall foliage.
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Greta G.

Yelp
Incredible views, attentive campground hosts. This was a beautiful park. A pity so much road work was being done which greatly delayed entrance and exit to the park. There are Indian mounds easily seen right on the grounds. I plan to return.
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Dustin B.

Yelp
Beautiful place to take a hike and enjoy the scenery. Also, has bathrooms, playground and pic nic area. Plenty of parking.

Lydia D.

Yelp
Beautiful view of the river. Lovely maintained park and easy to get to. Iowa side is prettier than Wisconsin side. Nearby town of McGregor is a lovely place for lunch