Jacob's Ladder became one of Cameron Park's most beloved traditions, challenging visitors to climb its steps and count them. James Sturgis built the original wooden ladder in the early 1900s to give the Sturgis family and the Waco Country Club, later the Clubhouse in 1920, access to the river from the top of the bluff, rising straight up the rocky slope. In 1960, the city built Rock Shelter as a place for visitors to rest and enjoy the river, and three years later parks workers replaced the aging wooden ladder with zigzagging concrete stairs designed and built on site. The ladder was renovated in 2009, and cedar arches at its top and bottom were built using wood from the park. The stairs remain one of Cameron Park's favorite features, and Rock Shelter serves as the main entrance to the trail system.