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Selena Diggs
Editor
(608) 267-2094 office
Selena.diggs (at) dot.wi.gov


Ken Harwood
Publisher

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Congratulations to our Great River Road Photo Contest winner!


Our fans sent in some amazing photos for our recent Drive the Great River Road Month Photo Contest—scroll down to see the impressive work of our finalists and our grand-prize winner taken at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena in northwestern Illinois the photo captures a storm passing over the Mississippi River.

Ken Notes:  The Wisconsin Great River Road folks would like to congratulate Jeff Winkler’s awe-inspiring panorama highlights from Brady’s Bluff, an iconic natural attraction at Perrot State Park near Trempealeau along the Wisconsin Great River Road...


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Migration Alert: Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan Waterfowlers Prepare for Opener


Waterfowl hunters around the Upper Great Lakes are geared up and ready to go for season openers across the region this weekend, including the north zones of Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as the entire state of Minnesota. All three states combined amount to a geographic area larger than Texas, and habitat and water conditions in this region vary...

Wisconsin

Wisconsin will offer ample opportunities for waterfowlers during the opening days of the season. "Statewide there is good water going into the opener this season," explains Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Game Bird Ecologist Taylor Finger. "We had excellent production statewide, so I would expect a good opening day with plenty of local mallards and wood ducks around. We have been seeing some migrant puddle ducks, including pintails, gadwalls, and wigeon, appearing on the Mississippi River, and migrating Canada geese are coming in from northern Ontario."...


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Black Hawk / Lansing Bridge
Project Updates and Notes



      

    
                
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The Great River Road Theatre of Prescott Wisconsin


The Great River Road Theatre of Prescott Wisconsin has been producing plays for the enjoyment of the community since 1992. Previous to 2017, shows were staged every summer in the Prescott City Park. Since the opening of the new Prescott High School, we have been fortunate enough to have an indoor venue for our productions - a beautiful, new state-of-the-art auditorium.

In addition to the summer productions, the Great River Road Theatre has been producing a dinner theatre show that runs in late January and February since 2001.

Love, Lies and the Lottery is the 2026 show...

The Great River Road Theatre is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing classic musicals and comedies to the Prescott area. We are alway looking for people to join our group as actors, directors, costume design, stage design and construction, promotion, etc.

If you have any questions or would like to join our group, please contact us at greatriverroadtheatre@gmail.com, or message us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GreatRiverRoadTheatre/...

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Barge traffic resumes on Mississippi River after railway bridge closure


LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) - Barge traffic resumed along the Mississippi River near La Crosse Tuesday after a mechanical failure forced the closure of a critical railroad bridge for nearly 48 hours.

The La Crosse railroad bridge became stuck in the closed position Sunday due to a mechanical failure, bringing river traffic to a complete halt. The bridge reopened earlier Tuesday, allowing vessels that had been waiting to finally continue their journeys.

The closure created significant frustration for boat crews who found themselves stranded during the malfunction. At least one vessel waited near the bridge for the entire duration of the closure, unable to move forward while the bridge remained stuck...

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The Great River Road




MAP


Discover Wisconsin
Great River Road
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Here`s to Being Here: Great River Road | Sights to See Along the Mississippi
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Drought is shrinking Mississippi River levels — again. That’s a big problem for farmers.


The Mississippi River is again facing low water levels — pushing up barge rates and making it more expensive for farmers to export crops and import fertilizer.

Stretched out over 2,000 miles, the Mississippi is essential for farmers to sell their crops. Nearly half of all U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat exports travel down the waterway to the Gulf of Mexico...

... “The less product you take, they got to make more trips to get ‘X’ amount of product from point A to B,” said Napper, who currently operates out of a pier in Wisconsin...


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As Mississippi River`s Lake Pepin shrinks alarmingly, project will study role of ravines


Lake Pepin, the largest naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River, is a beloved resource and important economic engine for the Wisconsin and Minnesota towns that border it.

In the summer, its calm, expansive waters are popular for sailing and waterskiing — the latter of which was invented on the lake in 1922. In the winter, it`s an ice fishing hub...   ...Full Story Here

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Wisconsin Mississippi River Interpretive Centers




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You’ll Find One of Wisconsin’s Best Bakeries in a Hut on the Edge of a Road


Castlerock Sourdough is the smallest bakery shop in Wisconsin. It`s a must-visit spot near the Mississippi River.

Wonderful bread can be found in some very unexpected places. Among the soaring Mississippi River bluffs of western Wisconsin`s Driftless Area, you`ll find a bakery tucked away in a spot that elicits a lot of double takes—and probably more than a few hard brakes. The Castlerock Sourdough bakery is many things: It`s well stocked, filled with flavors, and its retail shop is open much longer hours than most other independent bakeries. It also just happens to be the smallest bakery shop in Wisconsin. It really is a tiny little place that you have to see to believe—here’s what you need to know about Castlerock Sourdough...

...The magic happens in a white farmhouse tucked into the rugged river bluffs. The bakery itself is only open on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., when you can go to the door and order a fresh, hot loaf of their 36-hour-rise sourdough from right out of the oven...


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Our Visitor Guide Sponsors. Please check them out!


 
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Breaking American Tourism Record with New Stats, Strengthening US Economy...


Mississippi joins Wisconsin, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and California in breaking American tourism record with new stats, strengthening US visitor’s economy, latest update is here.

The tourism boom of 2024 shows Mississippi joins the list of record-breaking states, while Wisconsin sets another milestone, North Carolina grows stronger, Kentucky rises higher, Tennessee achieves historic spending, and California holds its crown. Each state’s new stats reflect growth, resilience, and pride...

Wisconsin Leads with a Tourism Hat Trick

Wisconsin stood out in 2024. The state recorded $25.8 billion in total economic impact from tourism. That marked the third consecutive year of record-breaking results. Visitor numbers soared to 114.4 million, higher than pre-pandemic levels. The impact spread widely. Rural counties saw sharp rises in spending. Adams County alone grew by nearly seven percent in one year.

Tourism generated $1.7 billion in state and local tax revenue. That sum provided essential funds for schools, healthcare and infrastructure. It also reduced the tax burden on households. Employment figures were just as striking. About 182,000 full and part-time jobs were supported by visitor spending. Wages and household incomes climbed as hotels, restaurants and events thrived.

For 2025 the outlook is strong but uncertain. Wisconsin invested heavily in marketing, including culinary promotions and national advertising. The aim is to attract new visitors and lengthen stays. But the risk of weaker international demand remains. Domestic tourism will need to carry much of the weight again...


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Ken Notes: To be clear, The Great River Road is only one of hundreds of tourism assets in Wisconsin, but we are proud to be a small part of an economic engine that is moving Wisconsin forward!

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Tourism Sites and Event Calendars


Grant County


Wisconsin Great
River Road
Facebook Page

Crawford County


La Crosse County


Trempealeau County


Buffalo County



Pepin County


Pierce County



Vernon County



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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

Wisconsin Tourism Great River Road

National Website ExperienceMississippiRiver.com

MRPC Members Website National River Resources

Other Tourism Sites

Monroe County

River Pool Maps



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