Palisades-Kepler State Park

Just west of Mount Vernon along the banks of the Cedar River, Palisades-Kepler State Park consists of 840 acres of towering hardwood trees, river bluffs, deep ravines, myriad wildlife and a large variety of wildflowers. “The Pal” is a nature lover’s paradise. Available to the public are 76 campsites with 45 electrical hook-ups, shower/restroom facilities and a trailer dump station. Camping permits are obtained by self-registration at the campground. Four rustic cabins are available for weekly rentals. All can be reserved through the Iowa DNR website. Palisades-Kepler is open year-round from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., though some facilities are closed during the winter.