Big River State Forest

Tent and trailer sites are available at the Shady Pines area. All campers must obtain a permit from the park office. Group camping is allowed, but groups of 25 or more must receive advance permission from the site manager.

Hiking

Big Pines Trail provides an enjoyable 3 1/2-mile hike on 3 trails: Lincolns Trail, Wilderness Trail, and Big Pines Trail. In addition, the 60-mile network of firebreaks is used by hikers, backpackers, birders and nature study groups.

Equestrians must stay on designated trails.

Big River State Forest has 30 miles of marked trails.

Boating and Fishing

Three boat launches are located along the Mississippi River. Boat rentals are not provided. Boat and bank fishing are allowed. Among the fish most commonly found are crappie, bass, carp, buffalo, channel catfish, bluegill and bullhead. In the winter, ice fishing is a popular sport along Spring Slough, north of Putney’s Landing.

​Accessibility at Big River:

• Parking - The parking lots throughout the park are fine gravel over sand. There is a single accessible parking space at each of the shelter houses with a sidewalk directly from the space to the shelter.
• Trails - Big Pines hiking trail is a 2-mile trail with a 1-mile inner loop that is wheelchair accessible. The trail surface is a stamped fine gravel. There is accessible parking at the trailhead parking lot.
• Camping - There are three accessible campsites in the equestrian campground. There is an accessible parking space in the parking lot.
• Restrooms - There are accessible vault toilets in the equestrian campground with sidewalks from the accessible campsites and shelters.