▁three ▁tra ils : ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁Tra il , ▁the ▁Spring ▁Valley ▁Tra il , ▁and ▁the ▁River ▁Bl uff ▁Tra il . ▁The ▁R ivers ide ▁Sh elter ▁over look s ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁An ▁active ▁train ▁track ▁runs ▁through ▁the ▁park . ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁Park ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁Green way . ▁The ▁park ▁won ▁the ▁" Best ▁View ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi " ▁award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁granted ▁by ▁The ▁River front ▁Times . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Native ▁Americans ▁likely ▁were ▁attract ed ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁cave , ▁fresh ▁spring ▁water , ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁They ▁regarded ▁the ▁cave ▁as ▁a ▁sacred ▁place . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 9 , ▁Jean ▁Bapt iste ▁Gam ache ▁first ▁acquired ▁the ▁land ▁through ▁a ▁land ▁grant ▁from ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 7 7 0 s , ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁fur ▁tra ppers ▁and ▁trad ers ▁as ▁a ▁rivers ide ▁ta vern ▁for ▁travel ers ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁Christopher ▁W . ▁Sp ald ing ▁and ▁Henry ▁W . ▁Williams ▁purchased ▁the ▁area . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁they ▁placed ▁boundaries ▁for ▁the ▁Cl iff ▁C ave ▁sub div isions , ▁s elling ▁lots ▁from ▁ 1 . 7 ▁acres ▁to ▁ 2 4 . 7 ▁acres . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁