Discover Crawford County

Crawford County combines the distinctive landscape of the Driftless Area with rivers, prairies, historic sites and seasonal experiences. Steep hills, deep valleys and winding streams shape the landscape and also explain the county’s winding roads. Approximately 45 miles of the Mississippi River run along the western border, while the Kickapoo River flows for more than 71 miles through Crawford County. When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home, it is therefore worth considering in advance whether nature, water, culture or a seasonal event should be the focus of your trip.

Prairies, Forests and Special Trails

Hogback Prairie lies on a narrow, steeply sloping ridge topped with limestone that rises 300 feet above Citron Valley. From Steuben, you can reach the nature area via Bridge Street, Hughes Road and Citron Valley Road; a footpath then leads west. Kickapoo Wild Woods also showcases the county’s rugged terrain: there, the slopes descend 350 feet to the Kickapoo River. Two parking options are available for access. From Wauzeka, the route initially runs 1.5 miles east on Highway 60, then 1.5 miles north on Highway 131 and 0.7 miles west on Onstine Hill Road to a parking area. At the turnoff, a second option leads 0.3 miles south to another parking area.

In the Bell Center Unit of the Kickapoo River Wildlife Area, thousands of migratory birds can be found, especially in spring. Rush Creek comprises a two-mile stretch of dry, alkaline prairies on steep, southwest-facing, limestone-capped cliffs along the Mississippi River. From Ferryville, you can reach a parking area via Highway 35 and Rush Creek Road; an access trail then leads east to the edge of the cliffs. Sugar Creek Bluff features dry goat prairies on its west- and south-facing slopes. At the bluff, Sugar Creek is also a Class 2 trout stream. Wauzeka Bottoms complements these landscapes with an extensive stand of old-growth floodplain forest divided by oxbow lakes, old channels and beaver dams.

River Landscapes and Walking Opportunities

Those who want to combine different activities during their trip will find several clearly distinct options in Crawford County. River fishing is often possible from a boat or from the shore; fish species include bass, walleye, catfish and various species of sunfish. St. Feriole Island offers opportunities for walking and cycling. The St. Feriole Island Memorial Gardens feature several walking paths and include more than 50 species of historic trees. Washington Street Park complements this offering with a ¾-mile walking path.

On St. Feriole Island, the Trail of Presidents also commemorates U.S. presidents who lived in or visited Prairie du Chien with 22 oak trees. The Mississippi River Sculpture Park displays life-size bronze statues of historic figures from the region. Depending on your daily itinerary, this allows you to give different weight to nature, physical activity and regional history without limiting the trip to just one type of experience.

History, Apples and Regional Events

Villa Louis encompasses the foundations of Fort Crawford and is the residence of the H. Louis Dousman family recognized as a National Historic Landmark. At the Fort Crawford Museum, a fort hospital building with exhibits on the early study of digestion by Dr. William Beaumont is part of the historical offering. Those interested in regional figures, buildings and the development of the Mississippi region can plan these sites as a cultural focus of their trip.

Gays Mills has one of the largest concentrations of apple orchards in the surrounding tri-state area. The Gays Mills Apple Festival takes place on the last full weekend in September during the apple harvest and includes a parade and a vendor market featuring arts and crafts. Weekly farmers’ markets are also held in Gays Mills on Wednesdays from May through October. These events give vacation planning a seasonal framework, while the landscape and cultural attractions allow for different travel focuses regardless of the timing.

Choosing the Right Base

When searching for a vacation rental in Crawford County, you should align the location with your planned experiences and take the specific starting points for excursions into account. Steuben is the stated access point for Hogback Prairie, Ferryville for Rush Creek and Wauzeka for the parking areas at Kickapoo Wild Woods. If you mainly want to combine walking paths, cycling and historical impressions, the attractions on St. Feriole Island can form the focus. For nature observation, prairies and river landscapes, the protected and natural areas described above are suitable starting points for further research. For additional orientation, you can also compare Prairie Du Chien, Iowa County, Oneida County, Door County, Outagamie, Calumet County, Lincoln County and Brown.

For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.