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News and Notes from The Great River Road
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Selena Diggs
Editor
(608) 267-2094 office
Selena.diggs (at) dot.wi.gov
Ken Harwood
Publisher
Happy Holidays!
This Weeks Articles for 11/24/2025 ...
- EVENTS! and more at this link......
- A famous bike route along the Mississippi River could soon get official recognition in Wisconsin...
- These Are the 12 Best State Parks in Wisconsin...
- 5 Great Towns in the Midwest for Smallmouth Bass Anglers...
- 54 Mississippi River duck hunts and counting...
- Freedom Park column: Grateful Reflections from the Great River Road Visitor and Learning Center...
- The `Sunfish Capital Of The World` Is A Wisconsin City With A Glistening Recreation Lake And Scenic Trails...
- This 10,000 square mile valley where glaciers turned away and rivers carved 600 foot bluffs 60 miles from Madison...
- Between Minneapolis And Madison Is Wisconsin`s Underrated Scenic Village With A Unique Mountain Island And Outdoor Fun...
- Farmers and ag professionals to come together at 3rd annual WI Water and Soil Health Conference...
- Transmission line raises questions ...
- Christmas in Cassville...
EVENTS! and more at this link...
Rotary Lights Display at Riverside Park
November 28, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
A Charlie Brown Christmas in Cassville
Friday, November 28 & Saturday, November 29
Villa Bellezza Outdoor Christmas Market PEPIN
1420 3rd St, Pepin, WI - Saturdays and Sundays Through December...
On the Lash Christmas Show “A Celtic Christmas.”
December 10 - 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Big River Theater - 121 S. Main Street, Alma
Holiday Parade - Friday Dec 5, 2025
Starts at 5:30 p.m.
Prairie du Chien along Blackhawk Ave.
Holiday Market and Craft Event
Saturday Dec 6, 2025 9 am – 2 pm.
Ferryville Village Hall
...Full Story Here
A famous bike route along the Mississippi River could soon get official recognition in Wisconsin
The Mississippi River Trail runs roughly 3,000 miles between Minnesota and Louisiana. Most other states along the route put signs up and began officially promoting it about 25 years ago, said Sherry Quamme, chairperson of the Wisconsin chapter of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, which promotes the Great River Road.
But Wisconsin, which has about 250 miles of the trail, never did.
That could be about to change. Though the trail technically exists for biking now, getting the designation would make the route more visible and accessible to serious bikers, who support the state`s economy, Quamme said.
- The Mississippi River Trail runs 3,000 miles for bikers between Minnesota and Louisiana.
- Today, all municipalities along the Great River Road have signed off on making the trail`s Wisconsin portion official.
- A bipartisan bill in the state Legislature would have the Department of Transportation put up signs marking the trail.
These Are the 12 Best State Parks in Wisconsin
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Our list spans some of Wisconsin`s most well-known parks as well as a few hidden gems for hiking, camping, paddling, and more.
Wyalusing State Park, Bagley...
Perrot State Park, Trempealeau...
...Full Story Here
Black Hawk / Lansing Bridge
Project Updates and Notes
5 Great Towns in the Midwest for Smallmouth Bass Anglers
Awesome places where you can catch a trophy, then enjoy local flavors.
This is a golden age for smallmouth bass fishing. There are more and bigger fish across more waters than at any time in the last half-century. Conservation and catch-and-release ethics have helped, but so has modern technology—particularly forward-facing sonar, which has revealed fish we once never knew were there.
Still, while good smallmouth water can be found from Kansas to Ontario, a handful of Midwestern towns stand apart. These are the places that pair exceptional fishing with real small-town character—where you can spend the morning chasing five-pound bronzebacks and the evening listening to loons or live music on the dock...
...Full Story Here
54 Mississippi River duck hunts and counting
Hello friends
We call it “The Mississippi.” This trip is actually like a religion for the 15 to 23 of us that make it each year and it is all about comradery, adventure and hopefully shooting ducks.
My first time to the islands across from Ferryville, was in 1971, about 54 hunts ago. There is no way I can miss this trip unless there is flooding or maybe if I die...
...Full Story Here
The Great River Road
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 Discover Wisconsin Great River Road Video |
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Here`s to Being Here: Great River Road | Sights to See Along the Mississippi |
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Freedom Park column: Grateful Reflections from the Great River Road Visitor and Learning Center
The `Sunfish Capital Of The World` Is A Wisconsin City With A Glistening Recreation Lake And Scenic Trails
Natural Connections: Southward Migration
The shallow water in Northwoods marshes and bays began to crackle with a skim of ice recently, gently reminding everyone that winter is on the way. Ice-up is a firm deadline for many beings who migrate to travel at least a little bit farther south. I got caught up in the flurry of activity and soon found myself in the Mississippi River Flyway swooping around the hills and corners of the Great River Road...
...Full Story Here
Wisconsin Mississippi River Interpretive Centers
This 10,000 square mile valley where glaciers turned away and rivers carved 600 foot bluffs 60 miles from Madison
Morning mist rises from the Kickapoo River, revealing limestone bluffs
that glaciers never touched. While ice sheets flattened the surrounding
Midwest 10,000 years ago, this 10,000-square-mile region escaped their
reach. The Driftless Area stands as Wisconsin’s geological anomaly,
where ancient river valleys carve through 500-million-year-old bedrock
just 60 miles from Madison. Here, 150,000 residents preserve farming
heritage dating to the 1820s in a landscape that defies every Midwest
stereotype.
The valley system glaciers couldn’t flatten
The name tells the story: “driftless” refers to the absence of glacial drift, the rock debris ice sheets leave behind. During the Late Wisconsin Glaciation 30,000 years ago, ice flowed around this southwestern Wisconsin region, deflected by highlands to the north...
...The Wisconsin, Kickapoo, and Mississippi Rivers wind through narrow valleys, creating a maze of waterways that supported ancient cultures seeking winter shelter. Regional archaeological records confirm this area’s long history as a natural refuge...
...Full Story Here
Between Minneapolis And Madison Is Wisconsin`s Underrated Scenic Village With A Unique Mountain Island And Outdoor Fun
The Midwest is much more than flyover states, and you`ll find plenty of hidden gems when you travel around Wisconsin. Visit Trempealeau, on the Mississippi River, and discover a thriving small town with plenty of outdoor attractions. Located between Minneapolis, the most bikeable city in the country, and Madison, Trempealeau is on the Great River Road, a scenic driving route.
Trempealeau is a short half-hour drive upriver from the riverside college city of La Crosse, while it`s about a 2.5-hour drive to get to Trempealeau from either Minneapolis or Madison. It`s best to have your own car to get around here...
...Full Story Here
Our Visitor Guide Sponsors. Please check them out!
Farmers and ag professionals to come together at 3rd annual WI Water and Soil Health Conference
Every growing season presents its own set of challenges; this fall’s dry conditions made it difficult for surface-seeded cover crops to germinate and establish, leaving many fields vulnerable to erosion and nutrient loss as we enter winter. Knowing what to do in adverse conditions like these can be difficult. That’s why sharing and learning from each other`s farming experiences is at the center of the upcoming Wisconsin Water and Soil Health (WWASH) Conference. WWASH brings together farmers, agronomists, conservation professionals, and researchers to engage around soil health and water quality.
This year’s WWASH Conference is set for Dec. 16-17, 2025, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This meeting is an opportunity to connect with others in the agriculture community while gaining actionable insights into building soil health and protecting water quality...
...Keynotes include Dr. Anna Cates and Dr. Matt Helmers. Cates is an Associate Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota and the State Soil Health Specialist, and will present on collaborative private-public strategies to expand cover crop adoption statewide. Helmers is a Professor at Iowa State University and Director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. He will present on nutrient loss reduction strategies across the Mississippi River Basin. Keynote farmers Ken Kayhart (Juneau County) and David Trimner (Marathon county) will share insights from their conservation journeys in both dairy and grain systems...
...Full Story Here
Transmission line raises questions
Dairyland
Power Co-operative in partnership with GridLiance Heartland have
proposed building a 140-mile electric transmission line from Marion,
Minnesota to Bell Center, Wisconsin. This transmission line would be a
segment of much longer transmission line.
As proposed the project would co-locate a 765-kilovolt (kV) power line with the existing 161 kV power line.The proposed line would use towers as high as 199 feet, substantially more than the current 70-foot high structures. The proposed project would also call for the expansion of the current right-of-way easement to be expanded from 100 feet to approximately 200 feet. If built, the 765 kV transmission would also carry six time more electric power than the largest transmission lines (345kV) now being used in the state...
The Website for this project is here:
https://www.maribelltransmission.com/
...Full Story Here
Christmas in Cassville
Saturday, November 29, 2025 (Friday Also)
10:00am-8:00pm
Cassville WI
Family Friendly
Friday, November 28 & Saturday, November 29
Theme: A Charlie Brown Christmas in Cassville
Cassville, WI
Friday Night Fun – November 28
9:00 PM – Ugly Sweater Contest & Karaoke at J&J’s Sandbar
Saturday – November 29
10:00–11:30 AM – Santa at Eckstein Memorial Library
12:00–4:00 PM – Vendor & Craft Fair at St. Charles Gym & J&J’s Sandbar
2:00–3:00 PM – Sensitive Santa & Mrs. Claus Crafts
2:00–6:00 PM – Christmas Photos with Melissa Okey Photography
2:00–6:00 PM – Wine + Bourbon Walk (Starts at St. Charles)
2:00–6:30 PM – Gingerbread Contest (by Moon’s Town Pump)
2:30–6:30 PM – Live Reindeer at Municipal Building
3:00–6:00 PM – Santa, Mrs. Claus Crafts & Wagon Rides at Municipal Building
3:00–6:00 PM – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree with Chase at Son Chasers Social Club
3:00–6:30 PM – Christmas Storytime & Popcorn at TriCor Building
6:00 PM – Angels Remembered Reading at Volunteer Park
7:00 PM – Lighted Parade on Amelia Street (Okey’s Market to Iowa Street)
Finale Fireworks at Riverside Park (Michels Construction)
...Full Story HereTourism Sites and Event Calendars
...Full Story Here
Grant County
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Facebook PageCrawford County
La Crosse County
Trempealeau County
Buffalo County
Pepin County
Pierce County
Vernon County
Other links
Great River Road Resources
Wisconsin Great River Road Website
Wisconsin Great River Road 2025 Visitors Guide
The Wisconsin Great River Road – Discover Wisconsin
Great River Road TripAdvisor
Explore La Crosse
About Our Locks and Dams
Locks & Dams - Wisconsin Great River Road
Wisconsin Tourism Great River Road
National Website ExperienceMississippiRiver.com
MRPC Members Website National River Resources
Other Tourism Sites
Monroe County
River Pool Maps