Advertisement The Great River Road, actually a combination of several highways, parallels about two-thirds of western Wisconsin, and the route, say many who have discovered it, is one of the state's greatest gems. This scenic highway of history snakes along the Mississippi River luring visitors to its long stretch of natural beauty, breathtaking bluffs, and 33 river towns.
Willowy river bluffs, green hills and valleys, and beautiful riverside parks flank the Mississippi River. There is also a larger-than-life riverboat history, easily recalled in many of the small river hamlets.
Spunky pioneers and colorful characters like William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody were all part of the legendary history in this area of Wisconsin.
And tales of the riverfront continue to draw visitor to these easily walkable small towns. Expect to find interesting shops and restaurants, too, and friendly folks eager to show you around.
But it's the mighty Mississippi that guide visitors as it glides by steep riverbanks, grassy hillsides, surreal rock formations, and canyon walls, craggy bluffs, pockets of prairie, oak savanna, and pristine pine forest.
And yet, many Wisconsin travelers have never made their way to this side of the state.
If you think of road travel as moving along a fairly straight line from point "a " to point "b," you haven't experienced the serpentine Great River Road as the Wisconsin portion of the road that turns and corkscrews along the Mississippi River, from Dickeyville near the Illinois border, to Prescott, and eventually ending up in New Orleans.
There are also more than 325 bird species here. Over a third of all species on the continent use the river valley during their spring and fall migratory flyway.
Look for bald eagles, great blue herons and egrets. And not to be outdone, over 40 percent of all waterfowl in North America also use this area as a migratory flyway.
Doris Green, a communications specialist at UW-Madison and author of the just-released book,"Explore Great Wisconsin Rivers," the first in Trails Books' Explore series, says one of highlights of the area is the Visitor and Learning Center at Freedom Park in Prescott. "It's a perfectly balanced, right-brain, left-brain experience of science-based exhibits and natural outdoor beauty with observation deck and expansive river prospects. "
100 miles of gardens
Another Wisconsin author, Mary Lou Santovec, includes the Great River Road in her recently published book,"Wisconsin Gardens and Landscapes. " She notes,"The Mississippi Valley Partnership has created a circular driving tour of public gardens along the Great River Road. Known as 100 Miles of Gardens,' the tour includes sites on both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sides of the river. "
The gardens are located just off of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway and are generally marked with large, blue wooden signs. "The public gardens extend from Bay City at the north end to Alma at the sound end of the Wisconsin side of the Great River Road," she says. "There are also plans to add sites in Fountain City and Cochrane this year."
Among some of the unique gardens on view is the one at Smiling Pelican Bake Shop in Maiden Rock. Santovec says,"Their annual and perennial-filled beds are accented with some unusual choices such as Black Magic elephant ears, calla lilies, and giant alliums, as well as garden art fashioned from beads from the owners' annual trips to Bali."
If you like hosta plants, the Smith Brothers Landing Glass and Metal Studio in Pepin has about 150 growing under an artistic pergola. At the Fire & Ice Store and Garden in Alma, an Italianate formal garden is featured. "Look for boxwood parterres, topiaries, and various water features tucked in the secret garden behind the ice cream shop," says Santovec. Another draw? "Old stone terraces," she says. "The limestone walls date to 1847 and anchor six sculptured terraces. "
To get to the Great River Road look for the green steamboat pilot's wheel on Hwy. 35, the road that follows the river. This riverside highway stretches 1,100 miles, from Lake Itasca, Minnesota, a stretch of 250 miles as it hugs Wisconsin's western coast.
No matter when you visit, you'll come across farm country near the river's fertile banks, and a land of silos and steeples, cows and corn. Farther north, where the population swells near La Crosse, but the river calms in front of dams, there are more esoteric pursuits in the city's countless antique shops and galleries.
Where should you visit? If you only have a weekend, these are two favorite riverboat towns.
Waterfalls and fountains
Fountain City is one of the most picturesque hamlets on the Mississippi. One reason is Eagle Bluff 550 high above the river, and known as the highest point on the Upper Mississippi.
Fountain City got its name in 1839 for the springs that have now long been capped but still spill over rock ledges in a series of fountains.
You may feel like you're in Switzerland since the town looks like a Swiss village. The architecture and culture is reminiscent of the Swiss immigrants who originally settled here.
One of the most unusual occurrences around Fountain City is found in the woods surrounding the town. There, if you're lucky, you may see one of the albino deer that live in these woodlands.
"The allure here lies not only in the preservation of 19th-century riverboat era architecture, and the town's unique layout, but it's the experience you're likely to have here," says Green. "Allow yourself to dawdle and you may be rewarded with a spontaneous find like a whimsical plant stand purchased in an antiques shop or sparkling conversation with a local resident."
Head to Alma at Lock and Dam No. 4
Alma, the next tiny river town hugging the banks of the Mississippi River north of Fountain City, draws you in as soon as the Great River Road turns into the town's six-block-long Main Street paralleling the river.
Most of the downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Main Street is home to a variety of 19th century brick mercantile buildings and homes nestled between the river and lofty Twelve Mile Bluff. Several antique shops, art galleries and boutiques, restaurants are good stopping spots.
Alma's history is acutely intertwined with the river's glory days. Swiss settlers who were charmed by the area's similarity to their homeland, arrived by steamboat. Many made small fortunes in lumbering by selling cordwood passing steamboats passing by Alma.
But breweries were once an even bigger industry. That may not be surprising when you consider that riverboat traffic wasn't a four season occupation and the fact that Swiss immigrants were anxious to create familiar brews from their homeland.
One of the prettiest parks in Wisconsin is the Buena Vista Park, and a picturesque way to get to the top is to walk the windy footpath. When you're at the summit of the 500-foot bluff, you'll be astounded by the views. Sure, you can drive via County Road E, but the hiking trail offers exceptional views not easy to take in as you maneuver your way up.
Green adds,"Buena Vista Park provides a wider perspective of the Mississippi including the changing shape of islands, Upper and Lower Wiggle Waggle sloughs, the Zumbro River flowing in from the west, and Lake Pepin to the north. " But this isn't the only place were you can see the mighty Mississippi's panoramic grandeur. "Anywhere along the Great River Road bluff top views give a sense of the size and power of the river," she says.
In the spring, when heritage vines, flowering shrubs and lilacs bloom, Alma has something else that echoes the time of year. Alma is a temporary home to the great tundra swans.
If you're lucky enough to be here when huge flocks of swans swoop in for a landing, you'll never forget this hauntingly beautiful sight on the Great River Road.
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