Overlooking the Mississippi River

Between Iowa and Wisconsin

Camping on the north side of Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, right across the Mississippi River from Harpers Ferry, Iowa, where we…

Visited 1 new National Park Site:

Effigy Mounds National Monument (#263), where 200 plus American Indian mounds, are located in one of the most picturesque sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The construction of animal shaped (effigy) mounds was a regional cultural phenomenon of the Late Woodland Period (1400-750 B.P.) along the Upper Mississippi River and extending east to Lake Michigan. The Effigy Moundbuilders continued to build conical mounds for burial purposes, but also built linear or long rectangular mounds and the effigy mounds that were used for ceremonial purposes that remain a mystery.

We spent a day in the north unit, at the Visitor Center, on 2 Ranger walks, and hiking 7+ miles to 4 Mississippi River Overlooks. We spent a couple of hours yesterday, hiking in the south unit to see the Marching Bear effigy mounds, which appear on the Iowa National Park quarter!

Great Bear Mound…you have to know what you’re looking at. NOT seen from high above, either
A few of the 19 Conical Mounds aligned to be in line with Sunrise and Sunset on Summer Cross Quarter day.
Overlooking the Mississippi from Fire Point
Overlooking the Mississippi from “Twin View”
Diagram of the Marching Bear Mounds…we entered upper right and walked out around the 2 birds on the left before returning.
One of the Marching Bear Mounds, up against Old Fort Road…standing at front leg, body up against the trees, head to left, back leg to the right

On the way here Friday, driving down the The Great River Road, we stopped at the Great River Road Interpretive Center, in Genoa, WI, where we learned about:

The Driftless Area, also known as Bluff Country and the Paleozoic Plateau (giving us all these bluffs overlooking the Mississippi around here). It is a topographical region in the Midwestern United States, different than much of the upper Midwest, due to never being covered by ice during the last ice age.
The Blackhawk War, the last “Indian War” east of the Mississippi, the last “battle” of which (i.e. massacre) was near there at Bad Axe River. Had not heard of it before.
And…the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, which co-habits the site. We also walked around some of the fish ponds. It was a beautiful day.

Black Hawk had been banished west (more Trail of Tears) and wanted to return to his home on the Mississippi
The Drifless Area…or…the “mountains” of SW Wisconsin, SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, and a teeny bit of NW Illinois
Genoa Fish Hatchery Ponds

Moving on down the Great River Road again today!

A bit later than usual, but don’t have far to go. We took a “brief”, last minute, morning visit to Villa Louis Historic Site, in Prairie Du Chien, home to one of Wisconsin’s most historic families – The Dousmans. Took the almost 2 hour tour, but must return to explore the whole site.

And it is definitely time to keep heading south! It’s getting cold!! Sunday was our first day that it didn’t hit at least the mid-60’s…barely broke 50.

For more pictures, see (in-work) Adventure Album: Great River Road / Route 66