Visiting the Upper Mississippi River

There are a thousand ways to experience the natural wonders of the Mississippi River. Explore the hundreds of sloughs, backwaters, and side channels that make up this great river. Fish for walleye, bass and bluegill in the stillness of an early summer morning, or throw in a setline for a late evening of cat fishing. Enjoy some of the best in birding as hundreds of bald eagles gather on the river in early spring or when thousands of tundra swans rest from their autumn journey to the East Coast. Pedal your way along an old rail bed through the bottoms of the Mississippi River and catch glimpses of the red cardinal flower that literally seems to glow in the shadows of the bottomland forest. Scenic vistas from bluff tops reward the hiker on many a trail in the state parks or take advantage of the many overlooks that exist along Wisconsin's Great River Road Scenic Byway that borders this stretch of the Mississippi River. Click on the links to find information that will help you plan a trip to see this national treasure.

State Parks, Trails, and Campgrounds

Wisconsin State Parks

Four Wisconsin state parks: Merrick, Perrot, Nelson Dewey, and Wyalusing are located along the banks of the Mississippi River. Fish, swim, hike, enjoy breathtaking views of the Mississippi River, or relax in your campsite. The parks offer a variety of activities, facilities, and interpretive exhibits. Camping is available at all four state parks. Secure a Campsite Reservation

State Bike Trails

There are two bike trails near the Mississippi River, the Great River State Trail and the La Crosse River State Trail, which offer a delightful journey on old rail beds.

Canoe Trails

The Mississippi River backwaters, which are more protected from the current and commercial navigation, offer opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. There are also two marked canoe/kayak trails in the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge- La Crosse District.

Long Lake Canoe Trail located near Trempealeau, Wisconsin
Goose Island Canoe Trail located near La Crosse, Wisconsin

Brochures are also locally available at the trail heads, the La Crosse DNR Service Center or the La Crosse District headquarters of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge.

Birding Trails

Currently there are two birding trails that include the Mississippi River corridor.

The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail - Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers Region is a mapped auto trail that covers thirteen of Wisconsin's western counties. Full color viewing guides are available that include maps and descriptions of every site as well as a description of the property and common and rare birds and wildlife. Hard copies of the guide can be ordered online, by phone (800/432-TRIP), or at Wisconsin Travel Information Centers.
The Audubon Great River Birding Trail is a self guided tour which parallels both sides of the Mississippi River. The trail guide lists birding sites that are along or close to the Great River Road such as parks, overlooks, wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas. Maps, site descriptions and facilities, etc are provided along with birding tips. Eventually the trail will include the entire length of the Mississippi from the headwaters at Lake Itasca Minnesota to the confluence with the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois.

State Natural Areas

There are many, little known sites along the river that are designated as State Natural Areas. These areas have been set aside to preserve outstanding and relatively undisturbed tracts of Wisconsin's native landscapes. Frequently they also contain highly significant geological or archaeological features. These areas act as important reserves for native plants and animals and often provide habitat for endangered or threatened species. Several offer hiking trails and scenic vistas of the Mississippi River. Whitman Bottoms Floodplain Forest near Merrick State Park also has a canoe landing. Click on the State Natural Areas Site to find them by name, county, or location on a map and to check regulations.

State Wildlife Areas

There are four State Wildlife Areas located near the Mississippi River that are excellent places to hunt, fish, hike, canoe, or watch wildlife. Click on the link for more information.

West Central Region

McGilvray Bridges and Van Loon State Wildlife Area
This 4,000 acre wildlife area located near Trempealeau, WI includes a hiking trail which follows an old road through the bottomlands of the Black River. The trail includes six historic McGilvray arch truss bridges over the Black River built circa 1892.

Trempealeau Lakes State Wildlife Area
The lakes are separated from the Mississippi River by marshes and are ringed with floodplain forests. Canoe, fish or hike.

Whitman Dam State Wildlife Area

This 2,173-acre wildlife area is six miles of marsh and slough from Merrick Park north to the village of Buffalo.

Tiffany Bottoms State Wildlife Area
This 12,740-acre wildlife area includes property on both sides of the Chippewa River between Nelson and Durand WI. Ten miles of railroad track into the heart of the property can be accessed.

Links to Other Public Lands and Facilities

Wisconsin’s Great River Road

Wisconsin 's Great River Road borders the Mississippi River along 250 miles of Wisconsin’s west border. Maps are available for birding, boating, biking or travel by automobile

Virtual Trip Up the River from the Quad Cities to Minneapolis - by Big River Magazine

This tour provides history and information about the places along the route of the 1854 and 2004 Grand Excursions. These descriptions were originally published in Big River Magazine from March 2002 to May 2004. You will head to places like t he town of Pepin , Wis. It’s most famous resident, author Laura Ingalls Wilder, was born near there in the 1860s. The book Little House in the Big Woods was based on their life in Wisconsin..

Effigy Mounds National Monument

Prehistoric mounds built by Native Americans are relatively common, but only in this general area was there a Woodland Indian culture that regularly constructed mounds in the shape of mammals, birds, or reptiles. There are also 11 miles of hiking trails at the National Monument which is located just across the river from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

The refuge, which encompasses acres of wooded islands and backwaters, begins at the mouth of the Chippewa River and extends 261 miles downstream, nearly to Rock Island, Illinois. The refuge is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Millions of migratory birds including ducks, geese and swans rest and feed on the refuge during spring and fall migrations and hundreds of American Bald Eagles winter along the river. The popularity of a variety of recreation activities has made this the most heavily used refuge in the nation. Check their website for information, maps, and regulations governing public use.

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge

This 6,220-acre refuge is an isolated backwater cut off from the Mississippi and Trempealeau Rivers by dikes. The backwater marshes provide resting and feeding areas for waterfowl and other water birds. The refuge with its rolling topography offers fishing, and wildlife watching and is also accessible from the Great River State Bike Trail

National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium

Get to know the Mississippi through an interactive experience of being a barge pilot or enjoy a stroll through a Mississippi River wetland. The museum, located in Dubuque, Iowa also offers aquariums with river creatures and historical exhibits.

Last Revised: June 8, 2007