Discover Grant County: Rivers, Bluffs and History
Accommodation in Grant County
Grant County combines impressive river landscapes with distinctive natural areas and a varied history. Along the Mississippi River, 57 miles of shoreline await you, while the Wisconsin River creates a landscape of its own with bluffs, sand terraces and wooded ridges.
Rivers, Bluffs and Rare Habitats
A notable viewpoint is located in Nelson Dewey State Park: From a 500-foot-high bluff, you can look out over the Mississippi River. The same state park is home to Dewey Heights Prairie, situated on an 800- to 870-foot-high, southwest-facing bluff. A hiking trail crosses the 30-acre area. This allows you to combine your stay with scenic impressions without reducing nature to a single viewpoint.
Other areas also reflect the character of Grant County. Adiantum Woods encompasses a species-rich, dry-mesic forest on a steep, north-facing slope that rises from the south shore of the Wisconsin River. The Cassville Bluffs-Roe Unit preserves a rare, undeveloped bluff and sand terrace above the Mississippi River; dry prairie and a savanna with chinquapin oaks can be found there. Blue River Bluffs consist of dry prairies and oak savannas on sand terraces above the floodplain of the lower Wisconsin River. The Boscobel Bluffs complete this picture with rare dry prairie and oak savanna woodlands on the south slope of the Lower Wisconsin River Valley.
For active days, Grant County offers more than 40 miles of hiking and walking trails. The Mound View State Trail is suitable for cyclists, inline skaters, walkers and joggers. Wyalusing State Park lies 500 feet above the confluence of the Wisconsin River and Mississippi River. The Wyalusing Hardwood Forest occupies a ridge there; wooded bluffs rise more than 400 feet above the Wisconsin River. Depending on your travel group, you can choose between walks, longer trails and purely scenic experiences.
History in Museums and Historic Sites
Grant County also offers opportunities for days centered on culture and regional history. Stonefield includes an agricultural village, a farmstead from the 1900s, the State Agricultural Museum and the former home of Nelson Dewey, Wisconsin's first governor. The National Brewery Museum is located in the restored Potosi Brewery Company in Potosi, Wisconsin.
In Platteville, the Mitchell-Rountree Stone Cottage, built in 1838, is the city's oldest house and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can see furnishings, clothing, books and personal belongings of the Mitchell and Rountree families from the 1820s through the 1950s. The Grant County Historical Society also presents exhibits about land and mining, historic quilts, Pleasant Ridge, local soldiers, sports and businesses in Grant County.
You can find further historical details in public spaces. The Presidential Shields along Main Street display the silhouette, name and years in office of every U.S. president; they were established in 1976. A historic automobile ferry route crosses the Mississippi River and was used by Nelson Dewey in 1836. The Great River Road in Grant County has been designated an All-American Road since 2021.
Choose the Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans
When searching for a vacation rental in Grant County, it is worth first deciding on your preferred focus. If landscapes and activity are the priority, the river bluffs, natural areas and hiking trails can shape your days. For a stay focused more strongly on cultural history, Stonefield, the museums, the Mitchell-Rountree Stone Cottage and the historical displays can serve as points of reference. If you are traveling with several people who have different interests, combining nature experiences and culture can create varied daily plans.
The places and landscapes differ in character: Bluffs and river views create different experiences from a historic cottage or an exhibition. Therefore, base your accommodation search on the experiences you plan to include most often, while also leaving room for spontaneous discoveries. For your further planning, you can also include Platteville, Hazel Green, Boscobel and Dickeyville.
For the overarching travel overview: Wisconsin.
More Destinations
More places within the same destination:
