Great River Road

State: Wisconsin. Type: National Scenic Byway and All-American Road following the Mississippi River. In Wisconsin, the route runs roughly 250 miles along State Highway 35 (with a detour via WIS 133 and county roads between Tennyson and south of Bridgeport) from Prescott in the north to the state's southwestern tip near Kieler. Passes through Grant, Crawford, Vernon, La Crosse, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Pepin and Pierce counties and roughly 33 communities. Part of a larger 2,069-mile, 10-state route from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Venice, Louisiana; in 2021, eight of the ten state segments (including Wisconsin's) were named All-American Roads.

The Great River Road is a designated scenic driving route that traces the course of the Mississippi River through ten states, and Wisconsin's roughly 250-mile stretch runs along the river's western border, mostly following State Highway 35 from Prescott in the north to the Kieler area in the state's southwestern corner. The idea for a continuous river-hugging parkway dates back to the late 1930s, when the federal government began coordinating with river states on a unified route, though full construction funding did not arrive until the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973. In Wisconsin, the drive links close to three dozen river towns, some among the oldest settlements in the state, with the Mississippi's bluffs, backwaters and river towns providing the scenic backbone of the route. The Wisconsin segment carries dual federal recognition as both a National Scenic Byway and, since 2021, an All-American Road, the highest designation in the national scenic byways program, reflecting both the drive's scenery and its historical and cultural significance along the upper Mississippi.

Wisconsin's Great River Road runs along the state's western edge, generally following State Highway 35, through Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo, Trempealeau, La Crosse, Vernon, Crawford and Grant counties, from Prescott at the St. Croix/Mississippi confluence south to the Kieler/Tennyson area near the Illinois and Iowa borders. It links river towns such as Prescott, Prairie du Chien, Genoa, Holmen and La Crosse along its length.

The Mississippi River corridor in western Wisconsin has a humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters typical of the Upper Midwest. River bluffs and valley terrain can create localized fog, especially in the mornings along the water, and road conditions in winter can be affected by snow and ice, particularly on the bluff sections.

Fall is widely favored for the drive because of the hardwood forest color change along the river bluffs, paired with the river scenery itself. Summer offers the most open access to riverside recreation, festivals and full attraction hours in the small towns along the route, while spring can bring high water and flooding in low-lying river towns that travelers should be aware of.

Planning for a continuous river road began in 1938, when U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes urged the governors of Mississippi River states to form a commission to coordinate such a route. Congress approved funding for a feasibility study in 1949, and the Bureau of Public Roads completed that study by 1951, laying the groundwork for a marked, multi-state driving route. Substantial construction funding did not follow until the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973, which allocated $314 million toward the route through 1982. In Wisconsin, the historic route entered the state via the Black Hawk Bridge near De Soto and exits at Prescott via U.S. Highway 10 across the St. Croix River. The route earned National Scenic Byway status, and in 2021 the Federal Highway Administration elevated eight of the ten state segments, including Wisconsin's, to the higher All-American Road designation.

Driving the route itself, stopping at river-bluff overlooks, historic river towns, and access points to the Mississippi's backwaters, is the main activity. Many travelers combine the drive with stops for river cruises, fishing, birdwatching (the corridor is a major migratory flyway) and visits to local museums in towns like Prairie du Chien. Small-town main streets along the route offer antiquing, local dining and seasonal festivals tied to the river.

Notable stops along Wisconsin's stretch include Prescott at the St. Croix-Mississippi confluence, the historic river town of Prairie du Chien, and smaller communities such as Genoa, De Soto and Holmen, with La Crosse serving as the largest city directly on the route. The Black Hawk Bridge near De Soto marks a historic crossing point, and numerous overlooks along Highway 35 provide views of the river valley and its bluffs.

The Wisconsin segment is a car-based scenic drive along State Highway 35, most easily reached from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to the north (via Prescott) or from Dubuque, Iowa/Galena, Illinois to the south. La Crosse, roughly midway along the route, has its own regional airport (La Crosse Regional Airport) for travelers flying in partway through the drive.

The road itself is open to driving at all times as a public highway; individual attractions, museums and visitor centers in towns along the route keep their own hours, which vary seasonally and by business. Confirm hours for any specific stop, such as a museum in Prairie du Chien or a river overlook facility, before visiting.

There is no toll or admission fee to drive the Great River Road itself in Wisconsin. Individual attractions along the route, such as museums, river cruises or specific parks, may charge their own separate admission; check with each site directly.

Driving the full roughly 250-mile Wisconsin segment straight through takes several hours, but most travelers spread the trip over one to several days to allow time for stops in river towns, overlooks and side attractions.

River towns along the route, including La Crosse (the largest city on the corridor), Prairie du Chien and Prescott, offer a range of hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts, while smaller communities along the way typically have more limited lodging, often independent inns or small motels. Campgrounds are also available at several points along the corridor given its proximity to the river and nearby bluff country.

River towns along the route offer casual dining reflecting the region's Upper Midwest and river-town character, with La Crosse offering the widest range of restaurant options as the corridor's largest city. Smaller towns typically have a handful of local diners, cafes and supper clubs rather than large restaurant districts.

The route connects to river-bluff state natural areas and parks along its length, and the La Crosse area offers additional attractions given its size as the largest city on the Wisconsin segment. Traveling south, the route connects toward Dubuque, Iowa and Galena, Illinois; traveling north, it connects toward the Twin Cities via Prescott.

La Crosse Regional Airport, located roughly midway along the route in La Crosse, is the main commercial airport directly serving the corridor. Travelers can also access the northern end of the route from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport near Prescott, or the southern end from airports near Dubuque, Iowa. A car is necessary to drive the byway itself, since it is a scenic road rather than a transit line.

Watch for narrow, winding sections of highway along bluffs, particularly in fall when leaf-peeping traffic can be heavier, and in winter when snow and ice affect the bluff roads. Spring flooding can close low-lying sections of road or river-town streets, so check conditions during high-water periods. As with any long scenic drive, plan fuel and rest stops around the smaller towns' more limited hours.

A road map or offline GPS is useful since cell coverage can be inconsistent in some river-valley stretches. Binoculars are worth packing for birdwatching along the flyway, and a camera for the bluff overlooks. Check weather and road conditions before winter or high-water-season trips.

Plan the drive around fall for the best color display along the bluffs, or spring/summer for open access to river towns' full range of attractions. Break the drive into segments with overnight stops in La Crosse or Prairie du Chien rather than attempting the full 250 miles in one day, to allow time at overlooks and in the small river towns. Check for any seasonal flooding advisories before a spring visit, since the route runs directly along the Mississippi.

Dial 911 for any emergency along the route. For general Wisconsin Department of Transportation questions related to the byway, consult the Wisconsin DOT's scenic byways program.

Wisconsin Great River Road - https://wigrr.com ; Travel Wisconsin - Great River Road - https://www.travelwisconsin.com/things-to-do/attractions/tours-and-excursions/wisconsin-great-river-road-national-scenic-byway-a

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.