Mississippi Palisades State Park Review

If a trail runner can have a "home field", Mississippi Palisades State Park would be mine. It's a fairly short 25 minute drive from the house, which is great for my wallet since I love this park and would go there constantly no matter how long the trip! The Palisades borders the Mississippi River just north of Savanna. It's a good-sized park by Illinois standards, totaling more than 2,500 acres, with a trail system that is reportedly around 15 Miles. But if you hike or run here, you can be assured it will feel like a lot more!

Trail Map

There are actually two separate trail systems at the Palisades, north and south. Though they are both demanding and share one common trait (elevation gain) they are in other ways quite different from one another. The south system is by far the most scenic of the two, with great views of the river from the bluff edge. Be Careful on the Sunset and Sentinel Trails, they sometimes do come very close the the bluff edge with sheer drops of well over a hundred feet. The trails on this end of the park are probably about 75% singletrack and can be very rocky and slick. There are some switchback sections, bridges to span ravines, downed trees to scramble over, and stair steps (stone and wooden). If you are running these trails throw any time expectations out the window. You will not make good time, so just relax and enjoy!

I can't do it justice through words so here are some pics of the south system:

Cave alongside Sentinel Trail

Stone steps and Outcropping, Sunset Trail

Ridge towards bluff edge, Sentient Trail

View from lookout, Sentient Trail

Yeah, there is a trail there! Sunset Trail

Bluff edge, Sunset Trail

The north trail system is in all honesty, not as visually appealing as the south. It has much more widetrack trail, not many rock outcroppings, and not nearly as many accessible bluff-edge views. What is DOES have it some very taxing climbing. Unlike the south, there is nowhere to drive to where you can begin a run or hike at the top of the bluffs, you have to climb there. Switchbacks? Forget it! You are going up in a direct line to the ridge top. This is no joke, you can be completely shot in about five minutes! Even when you reach the top, the ridges have very rolling terrain with an unusuall (but annoying) obstacle: innumerable mole tunnels. You will not run flat for more than a few seconds at a time on the north system and you will likely get ample opportunity to work on your power-hiking technique. Sometimes you will be too gassed to do much more than that. 

Shelter/lookout only accessible by foot. High Point Trail

If you go to The Palisades to hike or run be prepared for quite a workout, but you will be rewarded with some fantastic scenery along the challenging trail systems. It's an incredible way to spend a day. There is camping available at the park and lots of places to eat and drink in nearby Savanna and Sebula, Iowa. I highly recommend Sebula's Bombfire Pizza or Manny's in Savanna. Carve some time out of a weekend some time and visit this fantastic park!