Palisades

Emma Norwood

We found this little gem while wandering around. We accidentally booked a hotel 4 hours away from our original destination. Upon wandering Google we discovered this park. So much to look at and it is absolutely on our list for camping spots next year. We are from out of state but will be putting reservations in for here. So many places to hike, both advanced and beginner. Lots of amazing views and photo ops.

Josh Bradburn

Wow, this is probably the most beautiful place I’ve seen so far in the Midwest, within four hours of Lincoln. I would recommend this to anyone. It has gorgeous waterside walks and impressive, unexpectedly rosy pink rock formations, some of which are upwards of 3 to 4 stories tall. I brought my climbing gear, and this is my first experience with quartzite rock, which I was surprised by how slippery it was, as well as being sharp, so I didn’t end up, throwing any top ropes up, but just scrambled around, which I would only recommend if you feel confident around heights, and understand the risks. Climbing, logistics-wise, this location is really for Trad climbing, as bolts for sport climbing aren’t allowed in the park. We didn’t see a single rope climber there while we were there, despite perfect weather, but we could see chalk marks on some areas. For the next time, I plan to spend more time checking out the walking trails downstream from the bridge on the parking lot side, and this would also be a stunning and safe place to do some paddleboarding. All in all, I would definitely return, and check out the full trails parallel to the river for the adorable overlooks downstream from the bridge on both sides of the river (the trail that stretches upstream from the bridge is also pretty but a little bit more rugged). It also made for a great picnic area with tables and trash cans. 10 out of 10 would return.

B A

Palisades State Park is definitely the best thing to visit for outdoors adventures in the Eastern part of South Dakota. The geological rock features here are so massive and impressive. You can hike down to the river edge and get some really good views from there. There is also multiple lookout points. The park also has a nice campground and a Frisbee golf course. A day pass is $15, but is good for other state parks on the same day.

Angie M

Beautiful park. Loved all the random trails that took you to some beautiful scenery. We came for senior photos and it did not disappoint! Facilities were pretty clean for a campsite. Roads and fields were clean, park ranger was very helpful. We came for pictures but I would definitely come back to camp and visit again!

Christina Boucher

I have to admit I was very confused when I first pulled into the park, it is rolling Prairie Hills closely surrounded by houses and farms, and I couldn’t figure out where all the beautiful pictures of red rock cliffs on the river were from. The front section is apparently all new with day use and camping options, which seemed very clean and attractive. The signage doesn’t really tell you how to get to the main attraction, but you go to the very back of the park and there are a couple of overlooks and some trails where you can go see the rocks faces on the river. The wildflower Prairie Meadows were also very beautiful. $10 to get in for a day use and they have a self serve kiosk as soon as you come in.