Great River Road Upper Mississippi Trail

The Great River Road’s backcountry spurs drop off the main scenic highway into forgotten timber and river bottoms that most tourists never see. Gravel county roads like 52nd Avenue and Blackhawk Creek Road wind through dense hardwood forests to secluded boat launches and primitive campsites where the Mississippi’s backwaters create a maze of sloughs and islands. The real adventure starts at Credit Island Park, where unmarked two-tracks branch into Davenport’s industrial river bottom—old railroad grades and levee roads that dead-end at towboat channels.

Easy driving for any vehicle with decent ground clearance, though spring floods can wash out low sections without warning. Best explored April through October when water levels stabilize and mosquitoes aren’t biblical. No permits needed, but respect private property—some timber companies still use these roads for logging access. What you get is Iowa’s wildest river country and the chance to camp on sandbars that shift with every flood.