Day 230 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways
Wyalusing State Park
We traveled quite a few miles up the Great River Road today. Beginning the day, we took another hike in Wyalusing State Park. It was a short walk along the Bluff Trail that took us to Point View overlooking both the Wisconsin River and Mississippi River. The Mississippi River flows 2,348 miles from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. 15.8 million gallons of water flow past this point on the Mississippi every minute. The Upper Mississippi (above St. Louis) has 29 dams and is home to 100 species of fish. In addition, 175 million tons of material (40% grain) is shipped on its waters annually. One barge carries 1,500 tons of material. To put that into perspective, it would take sixty semi’s to do the same.
Treasure Cave
After enjoying the view of just an expanse of water, we strolled beneath the trees and past the moss covered rocks where we reached a large crevice accessible by wooden ladder smoothed from use. Petey promptly put on the brakes, so I let him stare down at me as I descended the planks only to climb up another ladder to Treasure Cave. By the time we finished our short amble through numerous spider webs, I was drenched in sweat…humid!
Prairie du Chien
We continued on through Prairie du Chien, one of the oldest European settlements in Wisconsin and stopped at a roadside overlook for another lovely view of Old Man River. As the drive skirted the Mississippi to the west, high, tree-covered ridges towered to the right. Eventually, we reached La Crosse, which is often called the Gateway City due to its location at the confluence of the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse rivers.
I was hoping to take a trip on a paddle boat, but I missed the last 1:30 departure by a few minutes. I’m not sure if Petey would have been allowed anyway. Instead, we walked around the riverside park, watched a barge pass beneath the bridge and, of course, checked for geocaches. We found one cache nailed to a post in the open. Its contents were secured with a padlock whose combination was included in the log post. That was a little different!
Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge
Outside of Trempealeau, we stopped at the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. I think I end up at every refuge in the middle of the hot afternoon. Not the best time to view wildlife! We took a short drive along the gravel road past marsh land, in the shade of tall trees, and past ancient sand dunes. The rolling sand prairie was formed when an old route of the Trempealeau River deposited sand and silt along the flood plain of the Mississippi River. Blowing wind moved the sand into dunes and grasses established roots which stabilized the dunes creating the present rolling terrain.
Lock and Dam in Alma
Further north we visited one of the 29 locks and dams in Alma. No barges were coming through when we were there, so we couldn’t see the locks at work, but the viewing platform provided a nice look at all the mechanisms. Petey wasn’t too excited about climbing the grated stairs which took us over the railroad tracks onto a grated bridge to the viewing area.
Maiden Rock
We continued north through Pepin, a town near the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie. I attempted to find a replica of the log cabin that immortalized in her frontier tales, but failed. Instead, we made a wayside stop at Maiden Rock. According to legend, a lovelorn Indian princess leapt off the cliff to avoid marrying the man her father had chosen for her.
Freedom Park
Our last stop in Wisconsin before crossing the Mississippi to end the night in Hastings, Minnesota was in Prescott. We stopped at Freedom Park to witness the blue waters of the St Croix River merge with the muddy waters of the Mississippi. Sadly, I couldn’t tell a difference…perhaps it was due to the glare from the afternoon sun. It was still a lovely view.
The park was also home to a geocache, but it was hidden down a steep embankment covered in waist high grass. I opted out, but did learn from the cache description online that the park was the site where a bald eagle named Freedom was released after being rehabilitated back to health by U of M Raptor Center. Before his release, Freedom participated in the 1981 ceremonies in Washington D.C. following the release of the American hostages held by Iran.
Hastings had a Wal-Mart waiting for us for the evening. ETB
Map of My Road Trip Across the USA
Learn more about my road trip across the USA, or click the link below for the interactive map.
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