Great River Road Wisc nsin Travel & Visitors Guide Spectacular State Bring the Sights Parks Bike! 7 22 45 Wisconsin’s National Scenic Byway on the Mississippi River Learn more at wigrr.com THE FRESHEST. THE SQUEAKIEST. SQUEAk SQUEAk SQUEAk Come visit the Cheese Curd Capital and home to Ellsworth Premium Cheeses and the Antonella Collection. Shop over 200 kinds of Wisconsin Cheese, enjoy our premium real dairy ice cream, and our deep-fried cheese curd food trailers open Thursdays-Sundays all summer long. WOR TWO RETAIL LOCATIONS! MENOMONIE LOCATION LS TH L OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 8AM - 6PM OPENING FALL 2021! E TM EST. 1910 www.EllsworthCheese.com C 232 North Wallace 1858 Highway 63 O Y O R P E Ellsworth, WI Comstock, WI E R A M AT I V E C R E Welcome to Wisconsin’s All American Great River Road! dventures are awaiting you on your 250 miles of gorgeous Avistas, beaches, forests, parks, historic sites, attractions and exciting “explores.” This Travel & Visitor Guide is your trip guide to create itineraries for the most unique, one-of-a-kind experiences you can ever imagine. What is your “bliss”? What are you searching for? Peace, adventure, food & beverage destinations, connections with nature … or are your ideas and goals to take it as it comes? This is your slice of life and where you will find more than you ever dreamed is here just waiting for you, your family, friends and pets. Make memories that you will treasure forever—right here. The Wisconsin All American Great River Road curves along the Mississippi River and bluff lands through 33 amazing, historic communities in the 8 counties of this National Scenic Byway. This area is also known as “The Driftless Region” and is home to countless bird and wildlife species. You are invited to visit the many Historic sites, State Parks, the 5 Interpretive Centers, and explore the plentiful culinary destinations and unique shops. Discover the destinations and communities on and around Wisconsin’s All American Great River Road National Scenic Byway where you are always welcome and treated like a “local.” On behalf of the Wisconsin Great River Road, thank you for choosing to visit us and please return again and again. Sincerely, Sherry Quamme, Chairperson WI Mississippi River Parkway Commission Photo courtesy: James Netz Photography, LLC wigrr.com | 3 Table of Contents Traveling Distances All American Road Designation ..................5 To La Crosse (Central Gateway) Annual Festivals & Events ........................6 Beloit: 190 miles Superior: 233 miles Spectacular Sights and Things to See Green Bay: 202 miles Wausau: 146 miles on the Great River Road .........................7 Madison: 144 miles Milwaukee: 210 miles PIERCE County .................................8 Chicago, IL: 284 miles Sioux Falls, SD: 298 miles Maiden Rock, Bay City, Hager City, Dubuque, IA: 117 miles Diamond Bluff, Prescott (62 miles to Prairie du Chien, Southern Gateway) PEPIN County 10 . Galena, IL: 135 miles Pepin, Stockholm (76 miles to Prairie du Chien, Southern Gateway) BUFFALO County ..............................12 Twin Cities, MN: 160 miles Fountain City, Buffalo City, Cochrane, Alma, Nelson (35 miles to Prescott, Northern Gateway) TREMPEALEAU County .........................14 Davenport, IA Centerville, Trempealeau (190 miles to La Crosse, 130 miles to Prairie du Chien) LA CROSSE County ............................17 La Crosse, Onalaska, Midway, Holmen Paddling on the Wisconsin Great River Road .....21 State Parks along the Great River Road ..........22 Bringing the Inspiration Home ..................23 WISCONSIN GREAT RIVER ROAD MAP .....24 & 25 Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth! Bakeries on an All American Road .......................26 History Paints a Picture .........................31 VERNON County ...............................32 Victory, Genoa, Stoddard CRAWFORD County ............................34 Prairie du Chien, Lynxville, Ferryville, De Soto Best Places To Fish .............................38 Wine Tasting Adventures .......................39 GRANT County ............................... 40 Kieler, Dickeyville, Tennyson, Potosi, Cassville, Each county offers information Glen Haven, Bagley, Wyalusing in their section of this visitor guide. Eagle Viewing .................................43 Visit www.wigrr.com for more information Classic Downtowns ............................ 44 about events and to order additional travel guides. Bring the Bike! Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission Trails along the Great River Road. .45 PO Box 171, De Soto WI 54624 | Phone: 800.658.9424 Email: [email protected] 2021 River Boat Stops ..........................46 Cover Photo: Travel Wisconsin Travel Resources ..............................47 Designer: Kristin Mitchell Design, Inc. Printer: La Crosse Graphics 4 | wigrr.com Photo courtesy: Dylan Overhouse elcome to the Wisconsin All American Great River WRoad National Scenic Byway. This distinctive designation was awarded by the Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program February, 2021. In order to reach the “All American Road” status, the drive must be a tourism attraction unto itself with multiple intrinsic qualities and one-of-a-kind features that can be found nowhere else. “The Wisconsin All American Great River Road is such a special place with so many unbelievably inspiring places and people. This is such an honor to have the Wisconsin Great River Road take its place as one of only 15 All American Roads awarded this year in the USA. Proving its uniqueness and unparalleled travel experience.” Said Sherry Quamme, Chair of the Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission. The Wisconsin Great River Road (All American Road) – Covers 250 miles in Wisconsin and passes through 33 Mississippi River towns along WIS 35. It is often called “The best drive in the Midwest.” The route connects to 10 other State Routes as it follows the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. Learn about the WI All American Great River Road at its website and plan your trip today! www.wigrr.com wigrr.com | 5 Annual Festivals & Events JANUARY – MARCH JULY SEPTEMBER DRIVE THE B ald Eagle Appreciation Day, Riverfest, La Crosse GREAT RIVER ROAD MONTH Prairie du Chien Catfish Days, Trempealeau Alma Music & Arts Festival, Alma Bald Eagle Day, Ferryville W ar of 1812 Reenactment Events, Sidewalk Insanity, Alma K ickapoo Valley Reserve Prairie du Chien Farm Fest, Fountain City Winterfest, La Farge Stockholm Art Fair, Stockholm G reat River Road Fall Fest, Snowmobile Trails Day, Chaseburg Prairie Dog Blues Fest, P rairie du Chien Stonefield at Cassville Eagles on Ice, Alma River Bluff Daze, Ferryville V illa Louis Carriage Classic, Ice Fishing Tournament, Stoddard River Falls Days, River Falls Prairie du Chien Westby Ski Jump at Snowflake Driftless Music Festival, Viroqua P rescott Daze & Classic Car Show, St.Patricks Day in Prairie du Chien Vintage Motorcycle Rally, Viroqua Prescott Bagley 4th of July Parade, Bagley Laura Ingalls Wilder Days, Pepin APRIL Bull Bash, Bagley D riftless Area Art Festival, B etween The Bluffs Beer, Swiss Heritage Days, Alma Soldiers Grove Wine & Cheese Festival, La Crosse 4th of July Parade, Buffalo City Apple Festival, Gays Mills B luegrass, Bourbon, & Brews Festival, Troutfest, Coon Valley Fall Fest, Ferryville River Falls Ontario 4th of July Art On The Kinni, River Falls S pring Flood Run, Hot Rod Sunday, LaFarge Bacon Bash, River Falls Fountain City to Prescott Country Boom, La Crosse Oktoberfest, La Crosse S toddard Bergen Fire Dept. Annual La Crosse Storytelling Festival Vernon County Fair, Viroqua Walleye Tournament, Stoddard Trempealeau County Fair, Galesville Viola Horse and Colt Show, Viola MAY L abor Day Weekend Fireman’s Picnic, AUGUST Stoddard 1 00 Mile Garage Sale, Prescott Fountain City Days, Fountain City to Fountain City Buffalo County Fair, Mondovi OCTOBER 7 0 Mile Rummage Along The River, Ashley For The Arts, Arcadia Fall Fresh Art Tour, Crawford & Vernon Counties Irishfest, La Crosse Pepin & Pierce Counties Reggae Fest, Trempealeau Dog Days of Stockholm, Stockholm Oktoberfest, Mondovi S pring Bird Migration Hike & Events, Kornfest, Holmen F lyway Film Festival, Stockholm, Ferryville Coon Creek Canoe Races, Coon Valley Pepin & Alma Mid West Music Fest, La Crosse Wild West Days, Viroqua Oktoberfest, Prairie du Chien Syttende Mai Festival, Westby Larryfest Music Fest, LaFarge K ickapoo Reserve Dam Challenge, W inding Roads Art Tour, Outdoor Flea Market, Readstown La Farge Start in Viroqua Charity Tractor Pull, Hillsboro O ctoberfest – T romp and Chomp Trail Run, Hillsboro Brewing Co., Hillsboro Kickapoo Valley Reserve Retreat World’s Fair, De Soto S afe & Spooky Halloween, World Migratory Bird Day, Alma Great River Folk Fest, La Crosse Stonefield at Cassville Driftless Outdoors Show, Onalaska Potosi Brew Fest, Potosi Breweriana Flea Market, Potosi K ickapoo BRAVE Ride (bicycling), Pear Near Bike Race, Vernon Trails JUNE DAIRY MONTH Gays Mills Apple Affair, Galesville Cassville Classic Car Cruise, Cassville Dairy Breakfast held in each county Potosi Catfish Festival, Potosi P rairie Villa Rendezvous & Flea Market, NOVEMBER Crawford County Fair Prairie du Chien Christmas in Alma, Alma S pring Fresh Art Tour, River Dazzle, River Falls Pepin & Pierce Counties Wine Walk, Viroqua Tour de Pepin, Lake Pepin Twinklefest Parade, Viroqua Artspire, La Crosse Winneshiek Landing Day, De Soto DECEMBER F ire in the Shire Renaissance Community-Wide Holiday Events Festival, Alma Christmas in Alma, Alma E llsworth Cheese