Wildcat Den State Park

Wildcat Den is a 423-acre park in Iowa featuring sandstone cliffs reaching up to 75 feet high, forested sections, and distinctive rock formations throughout its trail network. The landscape shows multiple layers of geological features visible as you walk the paths.

The Pine Creek Grist Mill was built in 1848 and remains the oldest working mill between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. This structure reflects how water power helped drive early industrial activity in the region.

A single-room schoolhouse from the early 1900s stands within the park, showing how rural Iowa children learned in that era and displaying the building styles people used back then.

The park offers 20 basic campsites with water and vault toilets, typically open from March through November for overnight stays. Walking the trails requires sturdy shoes and caution due to rocky terrain and elevation changes.

Devil's Punch Bowl and Steamboat Rock are two striking rock formations shaped by water erosion in the sandstone landscape. These natural features show how flowing water carved hollow spaces into softer rock layers over time.

Location: Muscatine County

Website: http://iowadnr.gov/Destinations/StateParksRecAreas/IowasStateParks/ParkDetails.aspx?ParkID=610122&idAdminBoundary=220

GPS coordinates: 41.46940,-90.88220

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:02