Scenic Road Trip: Wisconsin Great River Road

Top things to see and do from Dubuque to La Crosse – Great River Road

The Great River Road is described by RVTravel.com as “One of America’s Best Road Trips.” The Upper Midwest hosts the most scenic road trips along the Great River Road. During the Ice Age, the Mississippi River created steep limestone and sandstone bluffs lining the river valley. Below these bluffs, on both sides of the river, runs the state portions of the Great River Road. In part 1 we profile scenic views and visitor attractions along the Wisconsin Great River Road.

Lookout Wyalusing State Park
Scenic Lookout Wyalusing State Park

The Wisconsin Great River Road begins at US 61 as it crosses the Mississippi from Dubuque, Iowa.

Take Time to Visit Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa’s oldest city, is typical of old river towns along the upper Mississippi that were founded during the fur trading era that followed the discovery by explores Louis Joliet and Father James Marquette. Many of its historic structures have been rescued and it has a variety of interesting visitor attractions, among them the extensive National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. See more visitor attractions here.

Lookout over Dubuque, Iowa
Scenic lookout from the top of Dubuque’s
Fenlon Street Elevator, the world’s shortest, steepest, inline railway.

As you travel North on Hwy 61 from Dubuque, you climb out of the river valley to the top of one of the many bluffs that line the river from this point all the way to St. Croix Falls in Northern Wisconsin.

The first town you encounter is Dickeyville, Wisconsin – most well known for its Dickeyville Grotto.

Dickeyville Grotto
The Grotto is worth a brief stop as
it is a unique and extensive folk art creation.

Visiting Tennyson-Potosi

At Tennyson, the Great River Road leaves Hwy 61 for State Hwy 133 through the town of Potosi and the home of the historic Potosi Brewery, another worthwhile stop. The brewery offers brewery tours and has an attractive pub and outdoor beer garden with quite a decent menu of sandwiches and dinner offerings. Plus you get to try many of Potosi’s brews, fresh from the brewery. The brewery is also home to the National Brewery Museum and the Great River Road Interpretative Center.

Potosi Brewery Tap Room
Potosi Brewery Tap Room
Great River Road Interpretative Center in the Potosi Brewery
Great River Road Interpretative Center

Another Potosi Attraction is the Grant River Corps of Engineering Recreation Area (see our article). Grant River offers picnic areas, a boat landing, and an attractive, well-maintained campground with several RV sites.

grant river corps park sunset
Watching the sun go down at Grant River Corps park

Cassville Visitor Attractions

When you leave Potosi, you travel adjacent to the river to the town of Cassville, home to the Cassville Ferry. The ferry has been transporting people and vehicles across the Mississippi since 1836 and now connects the Iowa and Wisconsin Great River Roads.

Cassville was the capital of the newly established Wisconsin Territory and now home to the Stonefield Historic Village and Nelson Dewey State Park.

stonefield village historical site
Stonefield Village Historical Site
Nelson Dewey State Park
Scenic Overlook Nelson Dewey State Park

See our article on Top Campgrounds for RVs along the Wisconsin Great River Road


Wyalusing State Park

After Cassville, the Great River Road climbs out of the river valley to run along the bluff-top ridge for a few miles. It returns to river when it goes through the villages of Bagley and Wyalusing, located at the foot of Wyalusing State Park.

The park is located on the high bluff 500 feet above the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers. In addition to scenic lookouts of the river valley, the park offers swimming, boating, 14 miles of hiking trails, and a large campground high on the ridge.

Overlook of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers from Wyalusing State Park
Overlook of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers
from Wyalusing State Park

Historic Prairie Du Chien

From Wyalusing State Park, the Great River Road crosses the Wisconsin River to the town of Prairie Du Chien. The town traces its history back to 1673 when Marquette and Jolliet came down the Wisconsin River and were the first Europeans to enter the upper Mississippi River. In the 1700s French Canadians established a fur trading post on St. Feriole Island, which later became the fourth ward of the town and a center of commerce.

The island hosts several National Historic Landmark buildings from the 1800s, including the Villa Louis estate (now a State Historic Site and Museum), the 1851 Brisbois Store (now the Fur Trade Museum), the 1836 Brisbois House, 1842 Rolette House, and the 1864 Dousman House Hotel.

Brisbois House
The 1840s Brisbois House is one of the
oldest standing stone houses in Wisconsin
Prairie Du Chien's Riverfront Park
Prairie Du Chien’s Riverfront Park

Lynxville, Ferryville, De Soto, Stoddard River Towns

Leaving Prairie Du Chien, the Great River Road now travels adjacent to and often within view of the river. You pass the huge Cabelas/Bass Pro Warehouse and Store on your way to Lynxville, the first of several quaint river towns between Prairie Du Chien and La Crosse.

North of Desoto is Blackhawk Recreation Area, a top notch Corps of Engineering Campground with hookups for RVs. North of Stoddard is another excellent campground with RV hookups – Goose Island County Park. (See more top rated Great River Road campgrounds)

blackhawk corps of engineering campground
Blackhawk Park corps of engineering campground
Goose Island Campground
Goose Island Campground

Visiting LaCrosse Wisconsin

La Crosse is located on a prairie flanked by tall bluffs at the confluence of the Black and Mississippi rivers in La Crosse County. French explorers named the area for the game Indians played on the prairie. Initially a fur trading post, La Crosse became an important center for steamboats, lumber mills, railroads, and brewing. In 1884, La Crosse produced more beer than any other city in the state. (From History of La Crosse)

View of LaCrosse, Wisconsin from Granddad Bluff
View of LaCrosse, Wisconsin from Granddad Bluff Park

One of La Crosse’s top attractions GrandDad Bluff, offering a panoramic view of the city and river valley as well as several hiking trails and a picnic shelter. Another top attraction is Riverside Park, which hosts the river steamboats American Queen, La Crosse Queen, and Julia Belle Swain. Within walking distance of the park are several excellent dining and drinking establishments. La Crosse is also host to the longest running OktoberFest in the midwest (since 1961)

The American Queen Riverboat at LaCrosse's Riverfront Park
The American Queen Riverboat at LaCrosse’s Riverfront Park

See more Top La Crosse attractions here:


Links to Great River Road Articles and Attractions

Here’s some interesting particular points of interest, things to see and do along the Upper Mississippi Great River Road

More Great River Road Travel Links