PIKES PEAK STATE PARK
PIKES PEAK STATE PARK15316 Great River Road
McGregor, Iowa 52157-8558
Phone: 563-873-2341
Reservations: 563-873-2341
Email:
Pikes Peak State Park is renowned for its breathtaking views of the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. Spanning approximately 964 acres, this natural haven offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in scenic beauty and outdoor activities.
Established in 1935, Pikes Peak State Park features majestic bluffs that rise over 500 feet above the rivers below. The park's main attraction is Point Ann Overlook which provides stunning panoramic vistas—often described as some of Iowa’s best river scenery. Hiking trails wind through wooded areas leading adventurers to other notable points such as Bridal Veil Falls.
The park also caters to camping enthusiasts with well-equipped campgrounds offering modern facilities while maintaining a rustic charm amidst nature's splendor. Whether it's hiking, bird watching or simply enjoying a picnic with an awe-inspiring backdrop, Pikes Peak State Park serves as one of Iowa’s treasured landscapes for both relaxation and adventure.
In this area, Native Americans of the Woodland Culture of 800 to 1200 A.D. sculpted earthen "effigy" mounds on ridge tops, in the shapes of animals, to celebrate their oneness with Mother Earth. Many of these mounds remain today as a monument to these people and a reminder to us that we are also of the earth.
In 1673, the first white men to see what is now Iowa, explorer Louis Joliet and Father James Marquette, reached the mouth of the Wisconsin River and beheld the great, unknown river now known as the Mississippi. After the Louisiana Purchase, the government sent Zebulon Pike in 1805 to explore the Mississippi valley and select locations suitable for military posts. Pike recognized the park site as an important, strategic point, and an excellent location for a fort. The government agreed on the vicinity but selected the prairie around Prairie du Chien (now Wisconsin) for the fort. Several years later, Pike was again sent westward by the government and named Pikes Peak in Colorado.
In 1837, Alexander McGregor established a ferry across the Mississippi River. McGregor's Landing was established at the site of the town that now bears his name. When Mrs. Munn, the grand-niece of McGregor, died, her will provided that Pikes Peak be given to the federal government as a gift. The land had been inherited from McGregor. It was later conveyed by Congress to the State of Iowa and became Pikes Peak and Point Ann State Parks in 1935. Mrs. Munn had never allowed settlers on the land and as a result, the landscape at Pikes Peak today probably does not vary much from the way it was hundreds of years ago.
A fantastic park but please clean up the two trees you felled that are lying at the edge of the lookout. They look terrible lying there. 
we were here October 14, 2011, and spent an hour or so. Wish we would have had more time to spend! Had to take the detour as we came from the north and the north road was closed.
Nice trails, but be cautious if it is foggy--it was hard to see 100 ft ahead and a little disorienting. The fog did add a mysterious beauty the surroundings, and we did get some nice photos of the river and the mist.
I remember visiting my grandparents farm and aunt/uncles place when they lived by pikes peak state park. When i was little We always had picnics at the park until all the places were acquired. Going to the park brings back fond memories of my grandparents. Its a gorgeous place
