Want to know how to spend a day, weekend, or week in Pierce County?
Let us help! Travel the Great River Road. Stop in our picturesque towns and cities and explore our Main Streets, hike, fish or reconnect with nature in our county filled with exceptional natural beauty. Feel yourself relax as you explore our beautiful back roads.
If you would like additional ideas of how to spend your time in Pierce county, give us a call at 1-800-474-3723 or email us at info @travelpiercecounty.com
Photos by Margaret Smith (c)2007
Day Trips in Pierce County:
Great River Road Exploration Day Trip:
Begin your day at Prescott. Browse its shops, visit the Clock Tower, or explore Funkie Gardens , a family owned nursery with old-fashioned and new variety plants. Visit the Freedom Park Visitor Center and watch the eagles soar over the meeting of the St. Croix River and the Mississippi. Stop for a cup of coffee in Diamond Bluff , the site of the Sea Wing disaster, the worst disaster on the Mississippi River in its history. Continue on to Hager City and view the Bow and Arrow formation at the historic marker. Catch lunch in Bay City and enjoy ice cream from Flat Pennies while relaxing at Bay City's Saratoga Park. In Maiden Rock, look for artist's gallery and a bakery, and enjoy the view of the extraordinary bluffs and Lake Pepin from the park.
Geology (and more!)Tour:
Begin Pierce County Partner in Tourism's Geology Tour in Prescott. Head south on Highway 35 and listen to the additional tracks on the CD as you explore our incredible geological formations. You will travel through Hager City, Bay City and Maiden Rock. Stop in Plum City's Bittersweet Bakery & More for coffee, and a bakery fresh treat and peruse the town's artist galleries. Resume the geology tour and head for Nugget Lake County Park and Rock Elm for an "out of this world" experience! Continue on to Spring Valley and explore the incredible Crystal Cave and the Eau Galle dam and recreation area. On your drive west on Highway 29, look for the South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River and hike and fish along its restored banks. Look for the Highway 65 strata before heading out County M to the Kinni State Park to explore its many trails which lead to the St. Croix River. Head back to Prescott and enjoy a wonderful meal at one of the many restaurants or eateries.
Birding in Pierce County:
(from The Audubon Society's Great River Birding Trail, published by the Upper Mississippi River Campaign (c)2003
Freedom Park, Prescott, Hwy. 35: Here at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers is an exceptional area for watching eagles as well as fall migrations of hawks and migratory waterfowl.
Diamond Bluff:
Upland Bridge Walk. Start at the junction of Hwy. 35 and County OO, go north on 35 for 3/4 mile up the hill to where the road intersects from the left. Go left and proceed 1/5 mile to the bridge over the dry run. Park here and look for birds such as migrant songbirds and warblers, especially the Norther Waterthrush.
Lowland River Walk: Drive back to Hwy. 35 and turn right. Go 1/4 mile to a paved road on the right, then over the tracks to a "T" intersection. Watch for birds all along this road. This is a great spot for year round birding of almost all northern nesting songbirds. Keep an eye on the bluffs above Diamond Bluff for migrating raptors riding warm air thermals.
Rush River Loop: Just north of Maiden Rock, turn onto County Rd. A (designated a Scenic Road). Follow A and turn right at 385th St. This will return straight to Hwy 35 above Maiden Rock. You can extend your trip by driving up to Highway 10 or to Martell. This is one of the best places for bird watching in Pierce County.
River Falls has much to see, from its charming Main Street to its many parks and trails. Many of the buildings on Main Street date from the 1800s. Find local postcards, notecards and books at Freeman Drug (104 S. Main). Go to one of the many local eateries for a tasty lunch, and relax in Veterans Park, in the heart of downtown River Falls. Every Friday evening during the summer, free Music in the Park concerts are held.
Cross the Walking Bridge and amble along the White Pathway, which follows the Kinnickinnic River to Lake George. Notice the old railroad trestles which cross the river- the White Pathway follows the former railroad track, which was built in the 1800s when River Falls boomed with wheat mills. At the end of the White Pathway, turn left on Falls Street, cross the river and at the end of the block, look to your right. You will see the beloved Swinging Bridge which leads to Glen Park. Generations of children crossed the Swinging Bridge on their way to swimming lessons held in the now historic Glen Park Pool, built in the 1930s as a WPA work project. Glen Park was created in 1898, and its large trees, dappled shade, and many areas for relaxing or playing, have long made it a favorite gathering place. Below the Swinging Bridge, fishing is abundant and there are trails which lead along the Kinni River to even more fishing opportunities below the dam.
There are over 20 fishing access sites along the Kinni River and its tributaries. The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust works with local landowners to protect the Kinni, a Class One trout stream, and an "Outstanding Resource Water", the highest rating of the Wisconsin DNR. Fishing access sites can be found on the land trust's website. Fishing guides can be hired through Kinni Creek Lodge and Outfitters, which also offers accomodation as a bed and breakfast.
The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has much to offer visitors as well. Football fans enjoy watching the NFL Kansas City Chiefs during summer camp, held at Ramer Field. The University has much to offer the theater-goer and music lover, with its free concerts at the Amphitheater during the summer, and the host of plays and concerts held during the year at Kleinpell Fine Arts Building. The University is home to two buildings on the Historic Register, South Hall and North Hall. Its newly constructed Student Center is a state-of-the-art green building and it looks out over the SouthFork tributary of the Kinnickinnic River.
While in River Falls, check out the many stores on Main Street which offer everything from clothing, knickknacks, flowers, food, and souvenirs. Stop by Lund's Hardware for fishing gear and bait. Meet the locals at the South Fork Cafe, Westwind Supper Club, Elm Street Deli, or Lighthouse Coffee. Do you have something that needs fixin'? Stop by Cliff's Fixit and Quilt Shop. Or stop by Fosters Sports to get your Wildcat or Kansas City Chiefs' sportsware.
One of the best deals in town is enjoying a movie at the Falls Theater, right next to Foster Sports. First run movies are only $3 and popcorn is even less. This family-owned theater consistently ranks as one of the favorite places of River Falls families! Enjoy your stay!
For more information about River Falls,click here.
Prescott
Begin your day at Prescott, the oldest community in Pierce County. During the 1800's, the community was a steamboat center and many of the original buildings of that era are still in use, often as restaurants and shops. The Welcome and Heritage Center, at the intersection of US Hwy 10 and WI Hwy 35 and housing the Prescott Chamber of Commerce is situated at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. Originally the H.S. Miller Banking House, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Welcome and Heritage Center offers maps of the area and a Civil War display. Prescott is home to a host of dining establishments, some of which offer an up-close view of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. Picnic areas along the river provide relaxing places to enjoy the sights of this wonderful community. Look for Mercord Mill Park, the site of an 1852 sawmill.
Explore Funkie Gardens , a family owned nursery next to a Civil War era home, and peruse their old-fashioned and new variety plants. Be sure to visit Prescott in September for Prescott Daze, which offers fun activities for the whole family over 3 days.
Visit the Freedom Park Visitor Center and watch the eagles soar over the meeting of the St. Croix River and the Mississippi. The Freedom Park marks the gateway to the Great River Road and houses the Great River Road Learning Center, filled with exhibits about the Road and the local area. The Park includes a walking path with breathtaking views of the bluffs and the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. There is a children's play area, picnic shelters, restrooms and a water garden. Outdoor overlooks include telescopes and interpretive signs. Located within the Mississippi River Flyway with its wealth of migratory birds, Freedom Park was one of 3 Prescott locations added to the National Audubon Society's list of the best birding places in the United States.
Diamond Bluff, a small community of about 500, is 13 miles south of Prescott on the Great River Road. It is nestled between the limestone knobbed bluffs and the main channel of the Mississippi River. It was home to one of the first white settlers, a Frenchman, who called the area Monte Diamond and lived here between 1700-1824. The town's name was changed to Diamond Bluff in 1854 and it was a natural port for steamboats for decades. A memorial marker and a park, Sea Wing, commemorate the steamboat's capsizing on Lake Pepin in 1890, with a loss of 98 lives. The park has about 600 feet of shoreline including a sand beach and is a great place to fish, picnic and enjoy the views of the bluffs.
Travelers coming to Diamond Bluff have one of the best views of the Mississippi River and the incredible limestone bluffs which tower over the road. A bar and grill, the Nauti Hawg, hosts the Flood runs in the spring and fall when thousands of bikers travel along the River Road. On the southeast end of the town are the Mero Site Indian Mounds, one of the largest in the area. The town is an excellent place to visit for watching birds and other wildlife and just to stop and rest and enjoy the natural beauty of this area. For moreinformation, click here.
