Yellow Banks Park
Quick Facts
Why Pleasant Hill & the Des Moines River
Yellow Banks Park sits just southeast of Des Moines, named for its striking 140-foot bluffs of loess soil towering over the Des Moines River. The 576-acre park preserves a Native American burial mound and one of the last remaining oak savanna woodlands in Polk County, with trails leading to scenic overlooks and one of the best spots in the state to watch migrating hawks and bald eagles each spring and fall.
This is a genuinely beautiful budget park just outside Des Moines, with real riverside camping and well-maintained trails — staff go out of their way to help, with one reviewer specifically noting a host checking on them personally during a power outage.
What Makes It Special
- Location: Pleasant Hill, just southeast of Des Moines
- Setting: 140-foot bluffs overlooking the Des Moines River
- Site type: Campground: primitive and modern
- Amenities: River access for fishing, well-maintained hiking trails, close to Des Moines, both primitive and modern camping options
- Recreation: Fishing and hiking
Pro Tips for Booking
Time a visit for spring or fall. The park is one of the best spots in the state to watch migrating hawks and bald eagles.
Hike the Savanna Trail. It leads to some of the last remaining oak savanna woodland in Polk County, with trees estimated at 250-plus years old.
Fish the pond or the river. Both offer real bass and bluegill fishing right in the park.
What to Do Around Here
- Fishing the park’s pond and the Des Moines River
- Hiking to the bluff overlooks above the river valley
- Birdwatching during spring and fall raptor migrations
- The Savanna Trail, through centuries-old oak trees
- A manageable drive into downtown Des Moines
