Hike Less Than A Mile To This Spectacular Waterfall Overhang In Iowa

Bridal Veil Falls in Pikes Peak State Park might not be Iowa's biggest waterfall, but it's still a stunning spot well worth a short, moderate-level hike along a well-built boardwalk. With its delicate, multi-stranded cascade trickling down over a massive, ringed overhang, this natural feature truly is one of Iowa's many hidden treasures.

Pikes Peak State Park near McGregor, Iowa is perched high atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. At Pikes Peak State Park, you can camp, hike, picnic, and take in more than one beautiful, panoramic view.

It's also the perfect jumping-off point for a visit to Iowa's only site managed by the National Park Service (more on that in a minute).

But that's not all. Pikes Peak State Park is also home to a stunningly delicate waterfall overhang, appropriately named Bridal Veil Falls.

You can find this waterfall down a 0.9-mile boardwalk trail.

It's an easy trail in some respects, and it passes through a cool, quiet forest.

But be warned, there are more than a few stairs to navigate along the way!

The view waiting for you at the end of the hike is well worth the effort, though.

If you can navigate the boardwalk (it can get slippery!), Bridal Veil Falls is as pretty in the cold seasons as in the warm ones, making it a nice stop almost year-round.

Have you ever visited Pikes Peak State Park? (In case you haven't, you can find it at 32264 Pikes Peak Road in McGregor.) While there, did you hike along the boardwalk to see Bridal Veil Falls? You can learn more about the park at the Iowa DNR website here. And while you're in the area, add a trip to the neighboring Effigy Mounds National Monument just seven miles north of Pikes Peak State Park!