Great River State Trail: Trempealeau to Marshland

The section of the Great River State Trail from Trempealeau to Marshland is treasured by nature-lovers. The 8.6-mile section passes next to Perrot State Park and through Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. There are ample opportunities to spot wildlife from the path, and the route traverses a variety of terrain as it heads through the refuge.

By car, the trailhead is on the east side of Trempealeau, off Wisconsin State Highway 35. It has a large parking lot, restrooms, self-registration station, and picnic tables. A historical marker tells the story of the early Great River Road in this area.

Before Europeans arrived, the area that would become the village of Trempealeau had been home to Native Americans for centuries. Nicholas Perrot was the first fur trader to arrive, and wintered nearby in 1685. Later, other trading posts opened including one in 1820 by Louis and Augustine Grignon, fur traders from Green Bay.

In 1840, an American named James Reed became the community’s first permanent white settler. Downtown Trempealeau has a statute and marker interpreting his history. A post office was established at Trempealeau in 1852, and the village incorporated in 1900.

Trail-goers may want to divert from the Great River State Trail and visit Trempealeau’s historic downtown. Ma’s Kitchen at The Station is a popular stop. Set in a historic 1880s building, the deli serves sandwiches, salads, baked goods, coffee drinks, and more. Don’t miss their 1950s caboose parked next door.

Down the street, and not far from the Mississippi River is the Trempealeau Hotel. The 1871 historic hotel is one of few buildings to survive an 1888 fire. Today, the restaurant serves delicious meals and is known for their walnut burger. The hotel has historic riverside rooms, cottages, and luxury suites. They offer live music throughout the summer from an open-air stage; their website has the event schedule and details.

Trempealeau takes its name from a nearby hill on the edge of the Mississippi River. French explorers called it, “la montagne qui trempe à l’eau,” meaning “the mountain whose foot is bathed in water.” Trempealeau Mountain is one of three solid rock islands on the Mississippi River. It stands 425 feet high, and was long used for navigation by river travelers. Today the mountain is forested with oaks, maple, and basswood, and patches of prairie grasses. The mountain and surrounding area contain several ancient Native American burial mounds and habitation sites. Today, Trempealeau Mountain is preserved as a state natural area.

Back on the trail, after biking 2 miles and crossing 8 streets, the path leaves Trempealeau. Trail-goers with children may want to visit the Trempealeau municipal pool and playground, located on the path near the trailhead. Also, trail-goers should use caution when crossing the two intersections with Wisconsin State Highway 35. Wearing high-visibility fluorescent clothing and using front and rear lights for visibility is recommended on this trail.

Leaving Trempealeau, the trail moves through a corridor of trees and bushes past homes and farm fields. For about 2 miles the looming bluffs of Perrot State Park appear to the west. Nestled among 500-foot bluffs where the Trempealeau and Mississippi Rivers meet, Perrot State Park is an area of natural, archaeological, and historical significance. The park’s 1,200 acres include Mount Trempealeau and Brady’s Bluff State Natural Areas. The park has several historical markers, including one on Nicholas Perrot’s 1685 fur trading post.

Today, hikers scale the 460-foot Brady’s Bluff for an outstanding view of the river valley. The bluff is sandstone, capped with Prairie du Chien dolomite. The prairie has over 100 species of native Wisconsin plants. This state natural area is a refuge for several rare animals, including three butterfly species, a threatened land snail, and elusive timber rattlesnakes.

From the Great River State Trail, cyclists may access Perrot State Park on a spur trail leading to the campground. After passing a cemetery, the spur trail is 1.8 miles further on the Great River State Trail. The campground has over 100 sites, and is popular with trail-goers. Campsite selection is first-come, first-serve; online reservations are recommended.

A mile and a half mile up the trail, the Trempealeau River appears to the west. For nearly a mile, the path runs adjacent to the river. It then arrives at the junction of Refuge and Prairie Roads, and a parking area for Trempealeau National Refuge. This parking area may serve as a trailhead. The Great River State Trail follows Refuge Road west for 0.4 mile. The gravel road crosses the Trempealeau River before arriving at another parking lot.

The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge lies within the Mississippi Flyway, a crucial area for migrating birds. The refuge’s prairies, wetlands, and forests support a range of wildlife. Its protected backwaters provide nesting and feeding areas for waterfowl, fish, and other animals. American white pelicans, cormorants, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, herons, and egrets are seen in the sanctuary. It is also home to a wide variety of songbirds, including the common yellow-throat, gray catbird, and Baltimore oriole. Eagles are commonly seen, muskrat or beaver may be spotted swimming, and catfish splash in the shallow waters.

The Great River State Trail departs Refuge Road at a parking area with an information kiosk. The surface of the path is more sandy than crushed limestone, and a few small hills show the marks of erosion. The Great River State Trail path follows next to the gravel road of the Prairie’s Edge Tour Loop for almost a mile. The route passes by ancient rolling sand dunes covered with prairie grasses, wildflowers, and oak trees. 

The trail then crosses the gravel road, and heads northwest along the flowing Trempealeau River. Before descending to this long straight section, the route passes a rest area with a bike rack, information kiosk, and park bench. The vast view from this sandy hill overlooking the refuge’s bottomlands is stunning.

It is a little over a mile from the rest stop to the trailhead. A service road runs along one side of the trail and the Trempealeau River flows along the other through bottomlands. Ahead in the distance, a bluff rises above the river valley. Although the county line is unmarked, the trail leaves Trempealeau County and enters Buffalo County near the trailhead.

^{Map of trailheads and addresses along this section of the trail.}

By car, the Marshland trailhead is 10 miles west of Galesville on Wisconsin State Highways 35-54. The “Marshland Access” road sign on the highway marks the trailhead; there is no sign for the Great River State Trail. The little community of Marshland developed as a railroad town. A post office was established there in 1875, and the community was named because the bordering farmland was once a marsh.

Back in Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, cyclists have several options for side detours, rather than following the main trail straight through the sanctuary. At the Refuge Road parking lot, cyclists can continue for one mile to reach the visitor center with its restrooms, book shop, information kiosks, and visitor center. This is a good spot for a rest stop, and an observation desk offers an expansive view of the Mississippi River.

Cyclists may also want to take the 5-mile Prairie’s Edge Tour Loop. This circular route on a gravel road traverses a variety of natural landscapes, and intersects the main trail at the same Refuge Road parking lot. This tour may be done by cycling or by car. Trempealeau Refuge changes with each season, and visitors are promised a different experience throughout the year.

Trail last ridden and documented in May, 2022.