Schuetzen Park

Schuetzen Park is an urban forest in Davenport with three circular hiking trails winding through Mississippi Upland Forest. The paths traverse varied terrain with valleys and slopes that support a range of outdoor activities.

The park was founded in 1870 by the Davenport Schuetzengesellschaft as a shooting range in the German tradition. Over time it evolved into a leisure destination with various attractions added throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The park served as a gathering place for the German-American community, who used it for shooting competitions and social events. This tradition of communal gatherings still shapes how people view the space today.

The three hiking routes take between 10 and 45 minutes depending on which path you choose. Benches are positioned along the trails so you can rest whenever you need a break.

An Egyptian Revival streetcar station from 1911 is the sole original building still standing from the park's early days. This unexpected architectural detail shows how diverse the park's design once was.