“500 ft.-high limestone bluff”
Pikes Peak State Park offers excellent picnicking opportunities. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely outdoor meal and, at the same time, enjoy some of the finest views in the upper midwest from the overlooks and trail viewing platforms.
Reviews of Pikes Peak State Park
26 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G
Confirmed by 15 users | Last reported on August 23, 2023AT&T 4G
Confirmed by 5 users | Last reported on August 25, 2020T-Mobile 4G
Confirmed by 3 users | Last reported on April 29, 2021The hiking through Pike's Peak State Park was very pretty and not too difficult. The trees have vines hanging all through them making for some beautiful scenery. The outlooks by the parking lot over the Mississippi River are great and make for great pictures.
Pikes Peak offers camping facilities for RVs and tents, electrical sites, warm showers. The overlooks are easy to get there by car or hiking and overlook a beautiful section of the Mississippi. Family friendly with short trails. Better for novice hikers. Though there are some longer hikes that range 6 miles roundtrip. After Bridal Veil, if you continue on up, the path will split, going to the right is an unmarked trail that if you follow long enough will take you to the Mississippi. It's about 1.5 miles from the waterfall and very very steep at points and the trail dies out towards the end. Recommended for more experienced hikers. Also includes a gigantic rock that people have carved their names into.
Date of stay: July 2014
As I drove from the west to the east across northern Iowa I was beginning to wonder if there was anything more to the state than corn and soybean fields. The answer is yes! The northeast corner of the state has hills and is fairly nice (for Iowa). Pikes Peak State Park was a pleasant surprise.
Located on bluffs above the mighty Mississippi River, Pikes Peak offers electric only sites (with water and dump station in the park), but not a tremendous amount of privacy between sites. Hiking is available in the park, with some awesome views of the Mississippi River.
Sites are nestled amongst the trees, offering shade, but you are pretty close to your neighbors.
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin is not that far away, across the river. Therefore one must make a run to buy some cheese, right?
Effigy Mounds National Monument is a nice trip not too far up the road and is definitely worth the time.
I was there to pick up my friend after she road across Iowa with RAGBRAI 2014, otherwise would not have stayed 4 nights. Not exactly a booming part of Iowa, then again, that can be nice...
Nightly Rate: $17.00
Days Stayed: 4
Site Number: -
If it weren't for the hiking trails, this campground would be a solid three stars. As noted in the other review, the sites are very, very close together (like RV park close) and while there's lots of shade, there's no privacy. Luckily, with the exception of the typically busy Friday and Saturday, this place was mostly pretty empty and quiet, leading to a feeling of seclusion. The campground had electric sites, a dump and water fill station, and a soda vending machine (??). The showers were push button (each push good for about 10-15 seconds of very high pressured water), but the water was hot, each stall door locked, and there was a little dry seating area inside. Not the best but not the worst. Worth noting, sites 8-14 are on the side of a hill and range from slightly sloped to comically sloped, so I would avoid those if possible.
The real reason to visit this park is the miles and miles and miles of hiking trails down through hollows and up over ridges to beautiful Mississippi river overlooks and slightly underwhelming waterfalls. I hiked every day I was here anywhere from just 1 mile to 8 miles and never once had to do the same hike twice. I would come here again any time for the hiking trails--I was genuinely impressed and think they are much more the star of the park than the "pikes peak" river viewing platform (which is nice if you visit in the evening, after the crowds are gone).
Nightly Rate: $17.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 55
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Passing through Iowa we needed a place to stay for a couple of nights.
Each site has electricity, picnic table and fire pit. Sites are pretty close together. Sites are pretty level side to side but will need some leveling front to back. There is a dump and fresh water in the campground.
Lots of trees in this campground. Would not recommend anything much larger than a 30+ foot trailer.
The host was great. Helped us pick a site and suggested areas to explore. The day use area is really nice with sweeping views of the Mississippi.
There a couple of small tourist like towns on a few miles away. Did not see any major grocery stores.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 43
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
AT&T 4G
This park sits atop the bluff named Pikes Peak. The picnic grounds are well groomed and the sights from the overlook are superior. You stand above the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers.
Many trails lead to other overlooks and a substantial group of Indian mounds. Trails on steep slopes near the primary overlook are all constructed of wood steps and walkways.
The campground is inexpensive but poorly laid out with sites almost on top of each other. Most sites have electricity hookups but are not particularly level. Restrooms are clean and include showers. They have a sanitation dump available to campers at no extra charge.
Straight down the bluff is a mainline railway and you can hear the rumbles and whistles all night.
Nightly Rate: $11.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 41
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
We spent 3 days at campgrounds. It was a great time, we hiked, visited local sites. Showers were clean and well maintained, staff was helpful.great campsite. Went to Prairie Du Chien to see battle, also went to the Norwegian museum in Decorah.
Lots more left to see and do!
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: -
Great little state park to visit, lots of walking trails around and nice views. Towns and other activities close by, but it was easy for us to spend 4 days here.
Sites not super far apart, no water\sewer at sites, only electric. Shower\toilet block fine, but wasn't heated when we were there - we have our own shower, but it was chilly for folks using it!
Some sites quite tight to back in, ours had two trees either side, very close, and was interesting to get in and out of (twice). Though some sites had 35"+ trailers and RVs, so i guess ask before you pick :D
Nightly Rate: $11.00
Days Stayed: 4
Site Number: 53
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
Camped 10/9/18 & 10/10/18 (Tue & Wed). This is a popular park, even in Fall due to fall colors, and I was glad we made reservations in advance. Rates are less Oct-Apr ($11 elec, $6 non-elec); more in peak May-Sept ($16 elec, $11 non-elec). We arrived expecting an entrance fee booth as is usual with state parks. There was none. Being reserved, we just went to our site. There was a self-pay area for the non-reserved.
Our next-door neighbor said the campground is older, hence a layout that is not quite as accommodating for super large RVs. As mentioned, there are many trees and sites are close. Ours (53) was at an angle and you actually had to go through site 52's parking pad to get into it. A lot of sites are fairly level on elevated pads, but some, like in the smaller loop (1-16) - sites 9 & 10 especially - are really sloped.
Overall, the campground, shower house and VTs were clean. Water, dump, and trash are only by the shower house. Pike's Peak had the most deluxe fire ring we've encountered - a 2-tier grate that swings sideways with a tray. Even though it was rainy, the campground was not muddy. Sites have hard small gravel.
Due to the weather, most people stayed inside, so not a lot of campground noise, but we did hear trains and planes. Shower house has 3 flush toilet stalls and 3 shower stalls, 1 of each handicapped accessible. There is also a camp store by the picnic area, and a camp host (we didn't see them) where firewood was for sale. Nice trails, one to a waterfall.
Nightly Rate: $11.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 53
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
Very nice older campground with lots of trails and views nearby. Campground host was present recommending sites and providing info. Biggest negative for me was that some of the electrical connections are on the wrong side, but my site was spacious enough to angle towards the post to connect, while still remaining level. Excellent value compared to Wisconsin state parks across the river.
Nightly Rate: $16.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 38
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
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Pikes Peak State Park
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- State park or forest
- Back In RV Sites Count
- 20
- Last Nightly Rate
- 24.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 36.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 11.0
- Max Length
- 50ft
- Max Stay
- 14
- Pull Through RV Sites Count
- 16
- Sites Count
- 65
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Paved Sites
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Fifty Amp
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Full Hookup
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Rec Facilities
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Pull Through
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Tent Sites
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Dump Station
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Big Rigs
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Open Seasonally
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Age Restricted
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Back In RV Sites
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Boondock
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Cabin Sites
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Dispersed Sites
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Firewood
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Fulltime Residents
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Group Tent Sites
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Laundry
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Mobile Homes
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Permit Required
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Potable Water
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Propane
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Public Water
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Pull Through RV Sites
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Showers
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Sites
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Standard Tent Sites
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Vehicle Wash Permitted
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Water Hookup
Campground, Parking, Restrooms
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