Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Riverside Park
La Crosse seems to have a park for every resident of the city, including funky river island
parks. Chief among them is
Riverside Park,
home to a museum and the La Crosse Con-
vention and Visitors Bureau office. Park legends say that the 25-foot, 25-ton sculpture of
Hiawathahereactsasatalisman againstnaturalcalamity.Theparkisalsoadeparturepoint
for riverboat cruises.
Myrick Hixon EcoPark
AlongLaCrosseStreet(WIS16)inthenorthernsectionoftownisaparkandnaturecenter,
Myrick Hixon EcoPark
(789 Myrick Park Dr., 608/784-0303,
www.mhecopark.com
,
9am-4pm Mon.-Fri., free).
From there, it's just a hop over to the Hixon Forest nature trails, the nucleus of an in-
tricate network of hiking and cross-country ski trails throughout the city. The Hixon Forest
surrounding the center has hundreds of acres and outstanding trails to explore.
Prettymuchallthetrailspassby“goat”prairie—thatis,sadresidualsofonce-proudoak
savannas, left only because they were too steep for agricultural plows.
Mary of the Angels Chapel at St. Rose Convent
Since August 1, 1878, two or more Franciscan sisters from
Mary of the Angels Chapel
at St. Rose Convent
(715 S. 9th St., guided tours 9am and 1pm Mon.-Sat., 1pm Sun.)
have kept a continuous prayer vigil, dedicated to the community and the world. Known
as the “Perpetual Adoration,” the vigil has been well documented in international media.
TheMotherHouseitselfisquiteimpressive—a grandmashofCorinthianandRomanesque
styles, with intricate bronze pieces and mosaics handmade by international artists.
The St. Rose Grotto and its Virgin Mary have fallen on hard times, but a better one is
the
Grotto of the Holy Family
(groundsopenforviewing9am-11amMon.-Sat.,1pm-3pm
Sun.),10mileseastonWIS33inSt.Joseph,attheFranciscan SistersofSt.Joseph'sRidge
(believe me,youcan'tmissthesemiotics ofthebeckoning).SaintsandMary,Maryandthe
saints; it's one of the largest in western Wisconsin.
