As the calendar pages turn and the air grows crisper, it is time for the US Travel Dad to go on a solo roadtrip on Great River Road along the Mississippi River. This iconic route, tracing the mighty Mississippi River, is truly beautiful in any season, but especially when the leaves start to color.
While I plan to do the complete trip one time, from north to south, I opted for the northern section for now, through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. I crossed the Mississippi about 6 times, to make the best stops on either side of the river as I progressed. Let me share 5 stops with you that I highly recommend.
1. Pelican spotting in Spring Lake Park Reserve, Hastings, Minnesota
The Great River Road starts in the north where the Mississippi leaves Minneapolis/Saint Paul, and meets with the Saint Croix River. On the Wisconsin side that is in the city of Prescott, or the city of Hastings on the Minnesota side. I opted for the latter, as my first stop was Spring Lake Park Reserve.
This beautiful park, which looks like a great spot to have a family picnic in summer, has a trail that takes you over the towering bluffs, high above the Mississippi River. I walked the Schaar's Bluff Trail of 2.1 mile.
October is the month when Pelicans start their seasonal migration south, to the Gulf of Mexico, and indeed I spotted several groups. Bald Eagles can be spotted there as well, majestically floating on the wind. This is a must-stop. After your hike, the historic downtown of Hastings is a lovely spot to have a coffee or light lunch, before getting on the road again.
2. Riverside International Friendship Garden, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Continuing in Minnesota, I made a stop in Frontenac State Park. The park road takes you up a few hundred feet, providing a great vista from the Picnic Area Overlook. Then I crossed over to the Wisconsin side.
This section of the Great River Road is beautiful as you drive right next to the river. It was time for a larger break, a good meal, and some sleep in La Crosse, the largest city on the western side of Wisconsin and a university town.
The next morning started with a stroll through the Riverside International Friendship Garden. This lovely park combines art with great views of the Mississippi and the fall foliage. The designed gardens have some very cool sculptures, including the centerpiece, which is the symbol of the Great River Road: the Bald Eagle.
3. Native American History in Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa
Continuing my roadtrip through Wisconsin, I drove up to Prairie Du Chain, a city name that - just like La Crosse - reveals the French heritage when French fur traders in the late 17th century settled in the south-western part of Wisconsin.
I crossed the mighty river again into Iowa. My goal was the Effigy Mounds National Monument.
This area of 4 square miles (10 square km) contains numerous Native American burial and ceremonial mounds that are between 700 and 1,000 years old. Most of the mounds are conical, but about 30 are effigies in the shape of birds and bears.
I walked the Eagle Rock, Fire Point and Little Bear Mound trail. The trail up is very steep at first, but absolutely worth it. The place still feels (and is) sacred, the views from the bluffs over the Mississippi are amazing, and the echoing horn of a passing train down below is so American.
4. Taking the Great River Road to Dubuque, Iowa
After a crossover again to Wisconsin, and a stop for a hike in Wyalusing State Park, the next destination is back in Iowa: the city of Dubuque.
Dubuque is a very nice and tourist-friendly city with some historic parts, the National Mississippi River Museum, and a revitalized riverfront. The fall weather was so beautiful, and... this would be my goodbye to the river for a while, so I opted for a stroll along the picturesque Riverwalk. The walk has sculptures and murals, and of course great river views.
5. Ulysses S. Grant Home, Galena, Illinois
My final stop is officially not part of the Great River Road, but it had been on my list for a long time: the picturesque town of Galena in Illinois, just a 20-minute drive from Dubuque.
Galena is really a step back in time. Not only is it a very well-preserved 19th-century town.
It is also the former home of one of America's most iconic figures. Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War in 1865.
With a walk through the old city center and a visit to Grant's former house, I concluded my roadtrip through the north section of the Great River Road.
Tips and links for your roadtrip:
As mentioned, this trip is beautiful year-round, but October must be one of the best times to do it. Having driven here a little later in October last year, I can recommend going the 2nd or 3rd week of October.
Additional tips and links:
Read more about Spring Lake Park Reserve, Minnesota
Here is the Schaar's Bluff Trail in Spring Lake Park Preserve, Minnesota
More information on Frontenac State Park in Minnesota
Read more about the International Friendship Riverside Gardens, Wisconsin
Check out the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa
Follow the Eagle Rock, Fire Point and Little Bear Mound trail
Things to do and more info about Galena, Illinois
Read about the complete Great River Road: from Minnesota/Wisconsin, all the way to Louisiana.
