At Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, you can watch bald eagles, trumpeter swans, geese, and ducks from the observation deck during the spring migration. Which animals you see varies. The Mississippi also shapes the refuge’s landscape: it covers 6,446 acres along the river and lies within the Mississippi Flyway.
River Landscapes and Rare Habitats
At the confluence of the Trempealeau River and the Mississippi River, Perrot State Park lies among bluffs about 500 feet high. Indigenous peoples have inhabited the land where the park is now located for thousands of years. Trempealeau Bay has also long served as a gathering place for trappers and traders, as well as a popular stop for river travelers.
Distinctive plant habitats can be found in the prairies and wetlands. Brady’s Bluff Prairie includes more than 100 species of native Wisconsin plants and provides a habitat for rare animals. These include the Wing Snaggletooth Land Snail, which is classified as endangered in Wisconsin. Great River Trail Prairies encompasses two diverse remnants of sand prairie along a former railroad line. The area is one of the last remaining parts of the Trempealeau Prairie and is home to rare plants.
To access Great River Trail Prairies, park at W. Prairie Road and continue east or west on the recreational trail. Tamarack Creek Bog offers a different type of landscape: it includes one of the largest tamarack swamps in the Driftless Area outside the Glacial Lake Wisconsin area. At Trempealeau Lakes State Wildlife Area, wetlands separate the lakes from the Mississippi River, and bottomland forests surround them.
Explore by Bike
Trempealeau County has a connected bicycle loop system with more than 487 miles of paved county roads through scenic surroundings. The Great River State Trail is part of the Mississippi River Trail, a designated bicycle route that stretches from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. The two options offer different scales: a bicycle loop system within the county and a route that spans several states.
An approximately 13-mile section of the Great River State Trail runs between the Village of Trempealeau and the access road to Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. Within the refuge, the 4.5-mile Prairie’s Edge Tour Loop offers another way to explore the landscape. The loop is self-guided and open to bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles. Trail and road conditions can vary; check them before your trip.
Canoe Trails and Other Activities
Perrot State Park has a marked canoe trail in Trempealeau Bay. Canoes are available to rent in the park during the season. The Long Lake Canoe Trail has a different starting point: it begins and ends at the Long Lake Boat Landing near Trempealeau. This gives you two different routes to explore by water, one in the bay and one on Long Lake.
Those who enjoy combining different activities can go birdwatching, trout fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, and wildlife watching at Lakes Coulee Wildlife Area. Options range from observing nature to activities on trails and outdoors. When planning, you can first consider whether you’d rather spend your time by the river, on a bike, or on a hike.
Discover more destinations: Pigeon Falls, Barron County, Marathon, Juneau County, Brown, Washington, Jackson County, Lincoln County.
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