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    Wyalusing State Park

    4.2 (25 reviews)

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    Big Sand Cave
    Ari W.

    Took a trip to Wyalusing with a few friends. Had never been, so we all wanted to check it out. I can't say we were disappointed! We checked out the big sand cave and the small sand cave, as well as a few of the trails. The trails themselves were okay for a bunch of beginner hikers like us, though we were huffing and puffing along for much of it. Certain spots were more difficult than others, but we all made it just fine. It was more of a work out than I anticipated, but it was a fun challenge. For more advanced hikers, or maybe people just in better shape than us, this would probably be an easy hike. The caves were by far my favorite spots. Definitely recommend seeing them if you visit this park. The overlooks of the Mississippi were beautiful, no doubt, but also very crowded. During Covid this was a bit concerning. Everyone gathered was wearing masks, though, which was good. I didn't camp here, and it was just a day trip, so I definitely didn't get to see all the park has to offer. Would like to go back and explore more!

    Alyssa M.

    Check out the great views and numerous hiking trails here! I can imagine it is just as beautiful in the warmer months. There are camping sites on the bluff which overlooks the Mississippi River!

    View from site 133. Deliberately composed to exclude the huge, bright walmart to the lower right (east).
    Michael F.

    I camped overnight at Wyalusing while taking a spring shakedown ride of the Driftless Region on my motorcycle. Not sure whether they were still on winter hours, but I didn't see a single employee upon arrival at 5pm. Camground hosts were also missing in action, so no firewood was available. An industrious park neighbor has a huge stack of wood and an honor payment box, so I was able to precariously balance wood on my lap and the backseat of the bike while teetering back to my campsite. Other amenities include: no electrical sites on the outer loop where the good views are, blaring weather radio in the bathroom. Speaking of the campsite, the views from the Ridge campground are spectacular to the north and west, over the Wisconsin and Mississippi River Valleys. The splendor peaks at sunset, after which the dim lights of the Prairie du Chien airport and the horrendously bright lights of the new Wal-Mart dominate the landscape, which is really too bad. Bring earplugs, as there is a dual main-line of one railroad on the east side of the river and a single line to the west, and they are run at all hours of day and night. Approximately every half hour if my memory serves. Nice park, marginal amenities, views destroyed by the PdC zoning commission. I passed up a park further south near Potosi (and its brewery) and won't make that mistake again.

    Stephen T.

    Definitely no crowds when I was there. I stopped in on a sunny Labor Day, stayed for 4 or 5 hours, and might have seen 10 other people in the whole park. Having come from Devils Lake where teenage buttheads were singing in the campgrounds until past midnight, this was perfect. The high-altitude views up the Mississippi and Wisconsin valleys are fabulous. Another reviewer mentioned freight trains, which are loud, this is true. I'd add barges, which are also a little annoying if you're down by the river. The view of Prairie du Chien is a crime, I wish the WalMart there would go away in some big flood. But I had such a great evening at Wyalusing, I couldn't possibly give it less than 5 stars. Cool thousand-year-old effigy mounds up by the Passenger Pigeon Monument, where the views are great and the WalMart is out of sight. Also cool stuff directly across the river at Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa -- which is NOT flat. The Mississippi bluffs are truly small mountains. There's an astronomical observatory here. I couldn't stick around to see the night skies, but (WalMart notwithstanding) I feel like light pollution out here in the Driftless is probably pretty minimal. The sun -- our star -- disappears into a huge cellphone tower in Iowa every evening. If you can ignore some of the hideous zoning gaffes of the locals, like this, it's a pretty great place to visit.

    Sarah F.

    The coffee ain't too great, but it is a fabulous place to rent a boat! They rent canoes and kayaks for $10 an hour our $25 for 4 hours. There is a nifty loop you can do, which is partially on the main channel of the Mississippi. There are lots of hiking trails and several scenic outlooks from the bluffs onto the river around the park as well as a couple campgrounds. Be sure to make camping reservations on the weekends during the summer well in advance and prepare to have a blast.

    Alright here comes the wall of text. We stayed at the Wisconsin ridge campsites (northern camping area) so my review will be on that area and its amenities. This camp ground is exactly what should be expected from a campground. No permanent/yearly RV parking, just visiting tents and trailer campers. My only complaint is that there isn't much "elbow room" between campsites and some of the fire pits were place in an awkward spot. Campsites: 4 of 5 average Our campsite wast next to the shower house/restrooms so the only restrooms I can speak for are the modern restrooms. The restrooms were clean and we're comfortable to use. The showers were also very clean. The showers were push button controlled with a preset water temperature. This wasn't a bad thing however, as the water temperature was nice and hot. Showers 5 of 5 Restrooms 5 of 5 There are plenty of things to do here and explore. Playgrounds for the kids a tennis, basketball and volleyball courts and plenty of hiking trails for the adults. The trails are very scenic and hide some spectacular sights to behold. Activities: 5 of 5 The scenery at this park is absolutely jaw dropping. The ridge looking down on Prairie De Chein is beautiful, some people complain about the airstrip and Walmart but it really doesn't take away from the view. There are a few caves here are awesome to see. My personal favorite was picture rock cave which has a small waterfall. Absolutely stunning. Words don't do the beauty of this park justice. Park beauty: 5 of 5 The birds in this park are extremely vocal, be prepared to hear plenty of Baltimore Orioles and the occasional owl. I highly recommend this park.

    Steps up to the cave (that my dog wasnt  particularly excited about going up)

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    The little sand cave was pretty cool as well as the stone opening. Lots of people in and out but the trails were all over to enjoy.

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    Ask the Community - Wyalusing State Park

    Review Highlights - Wyalusing State Park

    At Wyalusing, you can camp, hike, and rent a canoe to go paddling in the back channels of the Mississippi.

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    Coconut Cove RV Resort by Rjourney

    Coconut Cove RV Resort by Rjourney

    2.3(7 reviews)
    37.8 mi

    We were seasonal campers here for two years, and left after the 2024 season due to the horrific…read more(mis)management of the campground. The cost to camp here is astronomical, and it is like camping in a parking lot with fancy pools (no trees, no wildlife, no camping activities, etc.). The campground is run by a manager who has zero experience or customer service background; but an ego that could fill up the entire park. The cost to camp is about double what you would pay elsewhere for similar amenities. ($150+/night, or $5500+/season). But it doesn't end there; the cost of the food and bar at the restaurant (that is RARELY ever open) is sky high as well ($5 for a kids slushie, $16 for a burger, $20 for a pizza, etc.), and if you are a seasonal good luck with the 'extras' you have to pay for (golf cart fee, 'miscellaneous fee' (what a joke!), electrical fees of 4x what we pay at home and can't see you own meter, etc.). Wood is another funny thing here: you buy it for $40/load (can't bring any in), and what you don't use they pick back up on Sundays and resell back to the campers - and if you try to pick up other firewood that was left by weekenders he threatens to call the sheriff and charge you with theft. It is also severely understaffed - mostly due to the horrific management. In 2024 they had many staff walk off job or start crying mid-shift because of how they were treated; bartenders, cooks, and maintenance all report into the manager and he treats them all like dirt. This is also what led to the restaurant, and tiki bars never being open (they are not open Mon-Thurs, and very limited hours on the weekends). The most frustrating thing about all of this is that you can't go to "management" to discuss anything. It is owned by an out-of-state company called RJourney who is never onsite, doesn't care about how it is ran, and allows the unqualified manager to run the show without oversight. I tried several times to reach out to RJourney to get answers, and they never respond. I asked the manager for contact information at RJourney and he refuses to provide. On a positive note, the views of the Mississippi River are awesome - if you camp up on the top by the entrance (down below by the tracks you can't see the river and get awaken every night by the dozens of trains that come through). Until this place gets out from under RJourney and the horrible manager, I would avoid this place at all costs - plenty of other options to view the river and spend your camping dollars.

    This place is a joke! My understanding is that they don't have any help so nothing was open. The…read more"manager" has been nothing but a warden! We don't usually break rules but this is ridiculous! Let's not mention the train track that literally has a train going by at least every hour 24 hours a day, blowing the horn! I feel like if you are going to run a "fun" resort and want people to come then you can't be a jerk! Oh yes, we also picked a spot by the playground and the playground is takes off that it's broke! The other playground is on the beach and closes so the kids can't play.

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    Coconut Cove RV Resort by Rjourney
    Coconut Cove RV Resort by Rjourney
    Coconut Cove RV Resort by Rjourney

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    Upper Iowa Resort & Rental - Eagle and nest

    Upper Iowa Resort & Rental

    4.0(3 reviews)
    36.5 mi

    We were trying to get out of Minneapolis for a weekend to kayak but no campgrounds were open in the…read morestate due to covid. We discovered Iowa's campgrounds were open and stumbled upon this beautiful campground only three hours from the city right along the upper Iowa river. Luckily it was early in the season because they said they fill up fast during summer months. Heads up, there is no cell phone service here but some free wifi if needed. They booked us a tent site right on the rivers edge! The sites were all marked well and were well shaded with trees. Each site had a picnic table and fire ring and gave you enough space between sites. The office has some food for sale and other needed things like firewood. There is also a man made swimming hole/small lake for families to enjoy because the river is hard to swim in sometimes. They have kayak and canoe rentals to enjoy on the river. I highly recommend doing this! The scenery here is beautiful! Way better then we expected. They can shuttle you to either a four hour run or six hour run down the river. We did the six hour run which did get quite long. The water was a little high but it was still very safe for a beginner. I also heard that fishing is great here when the water is clear. The owners are so nice and accommodating. Prices are very reasonable and you and the family will have such a great time here!

    Outstanding place to camp. Hookups were easy to use, facilities well maintained and clean,…read morehelpful, amazing caretakers right on the property. We used their shuttle service to kayak the upper Iowa river and had a fabulous time - spotted 30 plus bald eagles, one of which had a brand new fledgling peeking out of her nest. The resort has a small lake on site, Wi-Fi, and is close to a small town if you need to get back to a little civilization. We were treated to a gorgeous fish filled river with eagles flying up and down the water on a regular basis.

    Photos
    Upper Iowa Resort & Rental - What a backdrop! The bluffs of the driftless region.

    What a backdrop! The bluffs of the driftless region.

    Upper Iowa Resort & Rental - Where the little ones run wild - fun and safe play in the great outdoors.

    Where the little ones run wild - fun and safe play in the great outdoors.

    Upper Iowa Resort & Rental - Eagles checking things out

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    Eagles checking things out

    Wyalusing State Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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