Hiking, biking, boating, fishing, paddling, the Trempealeau area has all of that. Very interesting scenery includes bluffs along the Mississippi, backwater sloughs, wetlands, flat praries, farmland, wooded hills and forested swamps.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/perrot/
Late October found the family camping at Perrot. This was the first time the boys would also be staying in the camper. The last time they stayed in a tent. The campground at Perrot is fantastic. There really isn't a bad site and the space between them is just enough. This late in the season most of the running water is shut off and the campground is at about 30% capacity.
We've had a good long Fall this year in Wisconsin. The leaves stayed colorful on the maples, ash, elms well until mid-month. The oak and birch still have their leaves even as November is on the horizon. The colors were mostly bronze, deep red, and melon yellow. The bright bold colors were gone, but there is a certain beauty to the deep darkness of the late oak and birch leaves.
Perrot Ridge trail is one of several trails at Perrot. Perrot Ridge itself is about 1.5 miles of the 12.5 miles of trails in the park. The boys decided hiking wasn't for them on this gorgeous October afternoon. That left Ruth and I to hike up the ridge and then take the Riverview trail back to the campground. The total trip took about 2 hours and covered about 4.5 miles.
The trailhead starts at the maintenance shop of the North end of the park. The trail splits into two one way ski trails almost immediately. Take the left path! Da Chute climbs up the small incline through a short cut with the sides of the trail rising a few feet above. Not exactly a canyon, but still a picturesque segment.
At the first intersection take the right hand turn for the Brady's Bluff trail. You won't be going up Brady's Bluff today, but that's the right direction. A very moderate climb begins and continues for about 1/4 mile. The next intersection is the split between Brady's Bluff trail and Perrot Ridge trail. The left turn heads towards Perrot ridge.
This is my favorite part of the Park. I'm not a sitter. I'm a mover, but I have sat on the trail for more than an hour once years ago. I absolutely love this part of the park. This is not Perrot Ridge yet, but a small lower ridge a couple hundred feet below the higher Perrot Ridge. The woods reaching up to the top rise behind you, but in front is the coulee between Perrot Ridge and Brady's Bluff. The coulee contains what is termed a "goat prairie", a natural grassland. This prairie is ringed by birch, sumac, and small pine.
The climb to Perrot Ridge starts after the trail heads back into the woods. A couple of long grades that I heistate to call switchbacks give way to a steep climb that almost requires hand holds. Some effort is required to get to the top of the ridge. At the top of the climb the side of the hill is open and there are views to the South, West, and North. This was a beautiful sunny day with excellent views of the Mississippi, Brady Bluff, and the coulees on the Minnesota side of the river.
The trail continues to climb slightly and falls back into light tree cover. The takes a sharp right turn, drops and rolls along the C-shaped ridge. Some nice views of the East and South are possible from where the trail turns that direction.
After passing Reed's Peak at the South end of the ridge the trail drops sharply into a series of draws that have the personalities of canyons. I must admit that in the past I have gone off trail and explored a couple of these canyons. If you do that be prepared for very rugged and demanding terrain. Also be prepared to get chewed out by a Park ranger.
There is a junction just after descending the ridge. This junction offers the large loop of the Cedar Glade trail, a trail that follows the countours below Perrot Ridge, and a trail that drops down to the road where the Riverview trail. This day we were headed for the Riverview trail.
After a short bit on the Riverview trail a side trail climbs back up the little incline to the park entrance building and bathrooms.
Most of the Riverview trails follows an old railroad grade. The grade is very old and unless you knew or were paying close attention you wouldn't know that this was and old grade. The new railroad line is visible only about 200feet out in the river. The occassional train can make this a noisy trail. The river is still visible and the trail is still worth taking. The going is easy. Years ago I almost walked on top of a rattle snake on this very trail. Closest I'd ever come to stepping on one of those.
The Riverview trail crosses the parking lot for the boat ramp, walks along the shoreline, and then ends up outside the nature center. The shoreline between the boat ramp and the nature center usually have pools of water and are very good habitat for frogs. I took my boys here when they are about 4 or 5 years old and we spent an hour chasing frogs.
From there it was back to the campground and a supper for fire-baked meatloaf with potato packets (with carrots, onions, garlic)!!
