La Crosse: Rivers, Trails, and Nature Experiences
Accommodation in La Crosse
La Crosse combines a distinctive river landscape with extensive natural areas and a surprising amount of history. La Crosse County lies at the confluence of the Mississippi, Black River, and La Crosse River. This location shapes the range of experiences available: you can explore waterways by kayak or canoe, hike along trails through parks and woodland, or include historic sites and museums in your travel plans.
Water Landscapes and Trails Through Nature
For anglers and nature enthusiasts, the 236 miles of trout streams in La Crosse County are a defining feature of the landscape. Kayaking and canoeing are possible on unspoiled waterways. Those who prefer to explore on land will find opportunities for hiking across 963 acres of parkland and woodland. In addition, the county has more than 400 campsites at two campgrounds. The varied ways of accessing the landscape make La Crosse appealing for trips that aim to combine active days with more leisurely discoveries.
One particularly versatile natural area is the Van Loon Wildlife Area on the Black River in northwestern La Crosse County. The area covers 4,003 acres and is designated as a WBCI Important Bird Area. The landscape includes six historic McGilvray bowstring truss bridges over the Black River, built around 1892. McGilvray Road is open to foot traffic and is suitable for viewing the bridges, learning about local history, observing wildlife, and experiencing nature. This makes it possible to combine a walk with landscape observation and a tangible piece of regional history.
Hiking, History, and Special Places
Norskedalen has several miles of trails for all levels of difficulty. The Pine Loop Trail is a varied, approximately 1.5-mile loop through a pine forest, passing a spring and running through a mature deciduous forest. Norskedalen also provides information about guided tours of the Homestead and guided hikes on its trails. Those who want to connect nature with regional history rather than simply observe it will find a suitable focus here.
The Garland Homestead was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior in 1973. Tours take place from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday to Friday, from 1 to 4 p.m. This schedule is particularly important for your planning if a visit to the Homestead is to be a fixed part of your trip. Another distinctive testament to the history of the landscape is the Mindoro Cut, a road cut through a hill created for West Salem/Mindoro Road.
The Northeast Coulee Oak Woodland also has its own distinctive character. This 287-acre State Natural Area lies within the Coulee Experimental Forest in La Crosse County. Breeding birds documented there include, among others, the yellow-billed cuckoo, eastern wood-pewee, veery, wood thrush, pileated woodpecker, Mourning Warbler, scarlet tanager, and rose-breasted grosbeak. When choosing a holiday apartment, those who wish to give different weight to nature observation, hiking trails, and culture can already take these priorities into account when planning the area of their stay.
Plan Culture and Travel Logistics Intentionally
The La Crosse Area Heritage Center is a curated museum operated by the La Crosse County Historical Society. Its exhibitions include “Ongoing Ho-Chunk Presence” and “Brewing in La Crosse County.” The museum thus complements the nature experiences with perspectives on the region’s history and cultural development.
For travel to the area, La Crosse Regional Airport offers flights to Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit. The Amtrak Borealis train connects La Crosse County with Chicago and Minneapolis. At Great River Landing in Onalaska, the Visitor Center serves as a starting point for the Great River State Trail; it also provides access to the 120-acre, ecologically diverse Wittenberg Marsh. For further regional comparisons, you can also compare Onalaska, La Crosse, West Salem, and Bangor. This allows you to align your choice of holiday apartment with your preferred focus: river landscapes, hiking, nature observation, history, or museum visits.
For the overarching travel overview: Wisconsin.
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