For our anniversary this year, we decided to celebrate by cruising along the Great River Road. This drive is one of the most scenic in the United States. It was our first time driving the Great River Road, and we can say with confidence: it did not disappoint. The section of the Great River Road that winds and wraps around the Mississippi River in Wisconsin is beautiful and peaceful. We stopped at many lookout points along the drive. The five included in this post are those we found to be the most breathtaking. Let us know if you agree and which one you would stop at first! The best part, three of these are free to visit and two require a Wisconsin State Park Pass. For current state park admission rates visit the Wisconsin DNR website. Additionally, most of these locations make for a quick stop which means you can visit many on the same day or on a short trip. All of them leave a lasting impression on those who make the time to check them out.
What is the Great River Road?
The Great River Road is both a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road that runs along the Mississippi River. It is 3,000-miles long and stretches along ten different states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It isn’t’ a single, continuous road but rather a serious of roads that collectively allows you to drive along the Mississippi River from its start in Minnesota (in Itasca State Park) to where it ends in Louisiana. You will always know if you are traveling along the Great River Road if you see the green and white pilot wheel road signs. They dot the route from start to finish and are easy to spot.
If you wanted to drive the Great River Road straight through it would take about 36 hours. It would be challenging to drive this route without stopping because there are many small towns, historic landmarks, scenic overlooks and more to be enjoyed along the entire route.
In Wisconsin, 250 miles make up the Great River Road or Highway 35 as it reads on a map. This portion of the Great River Road is referred to at the Wisconsin Great River Road. This stretch of the Great River Road winds in and around a unique part of Wisconsin known as the Driftless. It’s an incredibly scenic landscape characterized by sandstone bluffs and rolling hills which is the result of the land being untouched by glaciers. You will hear folks call this land “unglaciated” and that’s what that means. You can do this drive in Wisconsin year-round, but you will find that the fall season draws the biggest crowds when the autumn colors make this scenic route come alive. Autumn also ushers in one of the region’s most popular festivals, Oktoberfest, held annually in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Great River Road sits on many people’s travel bucket lists and if it isn’t already on yours, it should be. Keep reading for our 5 EPIC Overlooks you won’t want to miss while road tripping this scenic byway. Let’s hit the road!
Be sure to read all the way to the end to find out what our #1 aka top overlook is.
5 EPIC Overlooks
#5 – Spring Coulee Road Overlook (Genoa, Wisconsin)
After spending the morning in Viroqua, a small artistic community nestled in the interior of Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, we decided to take the scenic route back to our cabin rental. Traveling along the Great River Road (Highway 35 on the map) we spotted several signs that read “scenic overlook”. Most of these stops are quick road turnoffs, very accessible and provide decent views of the Mississippi River. Our favorite was the one located in Genoa, Wisconsin on Spring Coulee Road (exact address: Spring Coulee Rd, Genoa, WI 54632). After a short but very steep, drive-up Spring Coulee Rd, we arrived at a parking lot. There were two other cars in the lot when we arrived, and one couple was enjoying the view while their dog stretched its legs. The road dead-ends and this is where you will find a great overlook that offers panoramic views of the Mississippi River. You can clearly see Minnesota as well. Standing up on a short stone and cement barrier provides the best vantage point and depending on the time of year you visit, you may need to move around from left to right to avoid tree branches that sometimes obstruct the view. A cool feature of this overlook is you can access two separate trail heads that lead to more expansive views. The trails are accessible from the parking lot. One is located to the right and the other to the left. We spent about 10 minutes at this overlook. It’s a nice rest stop if you’re looking to break up a drive on the Great River Road and peaceful too.
#4 – Apple Blossom Overlook Park (Dakota, Minnesota)
Alright, this one is technically in Minnesota but it’s a great excuse to drive across the Big Blue Bridge in La Crosse. The park is small, with an easy 1.3-mile trail. It is also free to enjoy. Part of the trail is dirt/natural, and the other part is mowed grass.
We hiked part of the dirt path trail, following signage declaring a lookout point was ahead. The lookout point was disappointing mostly because there were a lot of branches and overbrush blocking the view. But the view from just a few feet from the parking area was lovely. We were treated to panoramic, bluff-top views of the Mighty Mississippi below and Wisconsin beyond.
There were also some dainty wildflowers and wild thistles in bloom which we strategically framed some of our shots with. Here’s the end result:
There were picnic tables at the park too, so it made for a nice rest spot for us. We opened our anniversary cards here this year so this overlook will forever hold a special place in our hearts and memory banks.
#3 – Granddad Bluff (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
This viewpoint is a Western Wisconsin favorite for so many people and for good reasons. The view from atop the over 600-foot bluff is AH-mazing. You will be able to see the Mississippi River, the rolling landscape of the Coulee Region, the big Blue Bridge, and the La Crosse community that surrounds the bluff. On a clear day you will be able to see three states from this vantage point: Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
You can hike from the base of the bluff to the top or you can reach the top by car. There’s a parking lot at the top with a paved walkway which leads to observation platforms. This is by far the most accessible overlook of the five overlooks we mention in this post. There’s also no fee to visit this lookout so feel free to linger to your heart’s content.
#2 – Summit of Bluff Trail in Perrot State Park (Trempealeau, Wisconsin)
Brady’s Bluff Trail (West) is a short but very strenuous climb. When we first stepped on the trail, we were greeted by a sign that read, “NATURAL TERRAIN TRAIL DIFFICULT AT TIMES STEEP AND IRREGULAR GRADES.” Yes, this sign was printed in all caps, so we knew this trail was going to give us a run for our money, but it wasn’t enough to deter us from setting out on the trail.
Justin deserves a giant round of applause for doing this trek with our toddler comfortably seated on his back (aka carrying about 30 extra pounds). As we found out about 10 minutes into the hike, this is the type of trail that makes you question your sanity while your calves are on fire. You will likely consider turning back at least once or you may even ask your hiking buddy to stop talking so you can concentrate on the trail (that’s what Justin did about halfway into the hike). If you find yourself in a similar predicament, trust us – hike on. Once you reach the summit of this 0.5-mile (one-way) climb, the view you’ll be drinking in will make any sweat, labored breathing and leg cramps worth it.
Now, what about that view? At the summit of Brady’s Bluff Trail, you can expect to see a magnificent panoramic view of the Mississippi River Valley. It’s an unrivaled sight. In addition to the Mississippi River, this overlook also provides you with views of Trempealeau Mountain and Trempealeau Bay. While looking out across the valley, we spotted a boat on the Mississippi River which reminded us, you can hop aboard a river cruise with La Crosse Queen Cruises. This company offers both public and private Mississippi River Cruise options. While we have yet to experience a La Crosse Queen Cruise first-hand, we do think it would be a memorable way to see the valley from the water / a different vantage point.
Another cool feature of this spot is the shelter building at the summit. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. When we visited, we discovered a little box covered in hiking themed stickers that read, “Brady’s Bluff Journal.” We’re not sure who manages this journal, but we enjoyed reading through recent entries and leaving one of our own. We had no idea this would be waiting for us at the top of the trail which made us love it even more. A little reminder that we always fall for places and trails that keep us surprised.
#1 – Lookout Point in Wyalusing State Park (Bagley, Wisconsin)
Perched 500 feat above the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi River, Wyalusing State Park was made for nature lovers. Even though Wyalusing State Park is 1 hour and 45-minute drive south of the other overlooks mentioned in this blog, this spot still rests on what’s considered the Upper Mississippi River region and the views are just as (if not more) impressive.
Within the park you will find several hiking trails that lead to impressive overlooks like the Bluff Trail:
Keep in mind that not all trails are created equal and some are more difficult than others. A safe place to start for all ages and abilities is Point Lookout or Lookout Point. Not only does this spot grant you access to stellar river views but it’s also a hot spot for Bald Eagles. We highly recommend planning ahead so you can catch a sunset here. We posted up at this spot for our anniversary one year and it remains one of our top sunset experiences to date!
Final Thoughts
We’re so happy we decided to hit the open road and cruise for our end of summer vacation this year. On the Great River Road we tallied two states, ten overlooks and endless shades of blues and greens. We drove past signs promising apples, sweet corn and eggs and we walked through towns that made us feel like we were in a movie scene from another time. In some ways, we were – especially in Viroqua when we found ourselves stationed outside a former tobacco warehouse or when we were sharing the road with horse-drawn carriages. And while we anticipated the natural beauty of the Driftless we were surprised by the region’s hospitality and slower pace. There were so many pockets along the Great River Road that reminded us of the art of slow living while at the same time taking our breath away. As we shared at the start of this post, the Great River Road is 3,000-miles long and stretches along ten different states. We think we might just have to find out what other EPIC overlooks await us further down this scenic road!
– Alyssa + Justin
Disclaimer: Parks and Planes is an informative resource for readers. Due to unforeseen conditions like location or park closures, policies, construction, etc. Parks and Planes, LLC does not assume liability for the accuracy of posts, trail conditions and directions. We strived to accurately describe and document details as experienced during the date and time of our visit. Please travel safely when visiting these overlooks and other places mentioned in this blog post. As always, all photos, opinions and content are our own.
