Great River Road - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 574

untouched by those colossal sheets of ice. The result is a region of remarkable beauty—a
land of deep valleys and high ridges. In the heart of this territory sits the lively city of La
Crosse, often called the Gateway City largely because of its location at the confluence of
the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse rivers. The view from Grandad Bluff, a 500-foot-
high summit, takes in parts of three states—Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
In summer, La Crosse is sometimes a port-of-call for two floating palaces, the Delta
Queen and the Mississippi Queen. Both paddle wheelers offer overnight trips, but shorter
excursions are available on boats departing from numerous towns along the river. An
ideal way to spend a lazy afternoon is to take a rambling cruise down the river and savor
the sights: tiny tugboats pushing and towing block-long barges, princely paddle wheelers
splashing up memories of a bygone era, and houseboats of every description hugging the
shore.
5. Trempealeau
To walk down the streets of this drowsy town is to step back in time—back to the days
when riverboats rolled by all afternoon and the best bargain in town was a 25-cent din-
ner at the Trempealeau Hotel. Just west of town is 1,400-acre Perrot State Park, where
bluffs500feet tall affordmajestic viewsofboththeMississippi andMt.Trempealeau. The
peak, which isshaped like asquat volcano, wasconsidered sacred groundbylocal Indians.
Nature lovers will want to visit Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,000-acre pre-
serve, home to white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and many waterfowl.
6. Fountain City
Nestled beneath the green brows of two cliffs, this river town is named for the area's
many springs. Terraced gardens, hillside homes, and handsome 19th-century brick build-
ings combine to give Fountain City its quaint appearance. Nearby Merrick State Park,
which covers 325 acres, offers camping, hiking, and swimming and is especially popular
withanglerswhoenjoyfishingforavarietyofpanfish,includingbluegill,crappie,northern
pike, and walleye.
7. Alma
As technology brought bigger and bigger barges to the Mississippi, deeper water was
neededtoaccommodatethem.Soin1930theU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineersbegantobuild
an elaborate system of 29 locks and dams to make the waters of the upper river navigable.
One of the best places to appreciate this engineering triumph is in the town of Alma. From