Fall color hikes abound in Winona MN area

Great River Bluffs State Park

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the Winona, Minnesota, area than

a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet

and russets of oaks...

the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm

rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Winona to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Great River Bluffs State Park (Winona)
A great view of the Mississippi River awaits at the Great River Bluffs State Park on the 2.2-mile round trip Kings Bluff Trail. After heading through a forest of white pine and the yellow to maroon-colored leaves of ash trees, the trail arrives at Kings Bluff, which offers a spectacular vista of the Mississippi River valley below, a blue ribbon surrounded by the yellows of various birch and aspen. From Interstate 90 near the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, take County Road 3 north. Turn right/east onto Kipp Drive, which becomes Park Road. About two miles in, look for a small parking lot on the left/northwest. The trail heads northwest from the lot.

John A. Latsch State Park (Winona)
A beautiful view of the Mississippi River resplendent in fall colors awaits each autumn at John A. Latsch State Park. The 1-mile round trip Riverview Trail heads to the top of Mount Charity, a bluff alongside Ol’ Man River. The trail consists of nearly 600 steps that head up a deep ravine in the bluff. During the autumn, the bluffside brims with color: the yellows of birch, ironwood, black walnut, and elm; the oranges and scarlets of oaks; the golds, oranges and reds of maples; and the olive of basswood. Evergreen cedar accents the harvest hues. From Winona, take U.S. Hwy. 61 north. In about 10 miles, turn left/southwest into the park. There’s no entry fee, and the parking lot is wedged between the highway and the bluff. The trail heads south from the lot.

Perrot State Park (Trempealeau, Wis.)
Great views of the Mississippi River await at Perrot State Park. The 2.4-miles round trip Brady’s Bluff West and East trails are particularly impressive in autumn. Start up Brady’s Bluff West Trail and pause at the hill’s summit, which offers impressive views of the Mississippi River Valley, a brilliant blue ribbon through a forest of golden leaves. Descending the summit via the Brady’s Bluff East Trail heads through a woods of russet-leaved oaks. From Wis. Hwy. 35 in Trempealeau, take 10th Street west. Turn right/north onto Park Road, which becomes South Park Road. Park in the lot before the boat launch; the trailhead is on the opposite side of the road.

Whitewater State Park (Elba)
Hikers can head through and below a maple and oak forest at Whitewater State Park. The 4.5-mile round trip Dakota Trail crosses the ridge above the Whitewater River, where you walk beneath the harvest-hued canopy, then descends to the waterway for a great view of the gold, orange, scarlet and tan trees covering the hill. From Winona, take U.S. Hwy. 14 west. In St. Charles, turn right/north onto Minn. Hwy. 74. Use the Nature Store parking lot.

Great River State Trail (Midway, Wis.)
Hikers can walk alongside and cross a stream via five different bridges on the Halfway Creek Trail. The 3.4-mile trail connects Holmen to the Great River State Trail in Midway. Maple, aspen, oak and the occasional pine line the creek, making for a colorful autumn walk. Start at Halfway Creek Park in Holmen; the trailhead is on the park’s southwest side. One good turnaround spot to avoid crossing under U.S. Hwy. 53 is the connector trail to Judith Court for a 1.13-mile round trip and three bridge crossings.

Root River State Trail (Houston)
Among the most scenic hikes in Minnesota is the Root River State Trail, and that’s especially so in autumn. A range of fall colors line the trail, thanks to the great variety of trees that grow here. Riverside features black ash, willow, box elder, cottonwood and elm while the highlands boast maples, basswood and oaks. A great segment of the trail to hike begins in Houston and runs 2.3 miles west to a picnic area for a 4.6-mile round trip. From Minn. Hwy. 76 in Houston, turn north on Plum Street and park at the Houston Nature Center. The nature center as well as the International Owl Center just two blocks away are well worth a visit, and if you have little ones, they’ll love the playground near the trailhead.

Wabasha Riverwalk (Wabasha)
One of the best urban areas in the Midwest to enjoy fall colors in the small town of Wabasha. For seven weeks from September through October, the small town celebrates a harvest festival. You can enjoy the festivities and take a nice stroll on the 0.8-mile round trip riverwalk. The Wisconsin shoreline on the opposite side of the Mississippi River is lit up in golden hues, the perfect match to the streets’ autumn decorations. To reach the riverwalk, park in downtown Wabasha. Finding a spot on Big Jo Alley near Pembroke Avenue is best, as the National Eagle Center is at the corner of those two streets. The riverwalk is behind the center.

Bluff offers great autumn view of Mississippi

The top of Mount Charity delivers on autumn views.

A beautiful view of the Mississippi River resplendent in fall colors awaits each autumn at John A. Latsch State Park.

The 1-mile round trip Riverview Trail heads to the top of Mount Charity, a bluff alongside Ol’ Man River. The trail consists

of nearly 600 steps that head up a deep ravine in the bluff.

To reach the trailhead, from Winona take U.S. Hwy. 61 north. In about 10 miles, turn left/southwest into the park. There’s no entry fee, and the parking lot is wedged between the highway and the bluff. The trail heads south from the lot.

Mount Charity
During the autumn, the bluffside brims with color: the yellows of birch, ironwood, black walnut, and elm; the oranges and scarlets of oaks; the golds, oranges and reds of maples; and the olive of basswood. Evergreen cedar accents the harvest hues.

Mount Charity is one of three rocky bluffs in the area that rise above 500 feet. During the 1850s, steamboat captains relied on them to navigate the Mississippi. They named the bluffs Faith, Hope, and Charity.

In addition to being charitable with autumn colors, the bluffland is rich in wildlife, some of which you’ll be able to see now that summer’s green foliage has thinned. Among the mammals are coyote, fox, opossum, squirrels, raccoons, and white-tailed deer. Peregrine falcons and bald eagles grace the skies, though you’ll have the best chance of seeing them once you reach the blufftop.

In large part, the bluff was simply too steep for development, so was saved for the Driftless Area’s wildlife. Thank park namesake John A. Latsch, a local businessman, for ensuring it was open to the public. In 1925, he purchased the bluff and persuaded an adjacent landowner to donate with him about 350 acres to the state for a park. Latsch was fairly familiar with the the three bluffs, as he often fished the river below them. A few years later, he also donated land that became Perrot State Park, downriver in neighboring Wisconsin. The Minnesota park has since expanded and now totals 450 acres.

There are a couple of lookout points along the way where you can rest. The step’s rise does range from five inches to a foot, so be sure to watch your step.

At Mount Charity’s top, hikers are treated to an impressive view of the river below, a blue ribbon through a landscape wrapped in gold leaves. Harvest hues fill the bluffsides on both sides of the river. Lock and Dam No. 5 can be see to the southeast with barges lazily making their last trips of the season through it.

Floodplain gold
At this spot on the Mississippi, almost all of the floodplain sits on the Wisconsin side. Green ash, silver maple, and river birch dominate the sloughs and river valley. All turn similar hues of yellow in autumn.

Green ash is among the first trees to change colors in autumn, often the first week of September. A common ash species, it quickly takes over old fields and other disturbed sites. It grows up to 82 feet high with a trunk diameter of up to 24 inches. Young green ash has smooth bark, but it becomes thick and fissured with age. A major concern for green ash is the emerald ash borer, an invasive species. Minnesota’s green ash has no protection against it.

Silver maple is one of the most common trees in the United States but not found in the west-central part of Minnesota. Highly adaptable, it often can be spotted along waterways and in wetlands. The silver maple also is fast-growing; a 10-year-old sapling can stand up to 26 feet high, making it the best bet for future NFL lineman in the woods. It tops out, though, at 82 feet. It used to be a favorite in urban landscaping, but because its roots crack sidewalks and old pipes, as well as because it resprouts quickly, many cities now ban its planting.

River birch, also known as black birch or water birch, usually grows in floodplains and wetlands. It can reach a height of 100 feet. The base of the river birch usually consists of several slender trunks, each of which can grow up to 60 inches in diameter. The bark of young river birch consists of loose layers of curling scales and often looks as if it has been damaged, but that’s not the case. As the tree matures, those scales form hard plates.

After taking in the views, return the way you came; a path does briefly lead away from the blufftop into the woods, but it quickly dissolves into a deer trail with little to see. If children are with you, make sure they stay away from the edges at the blufftop.

Riverview Trail map. Click for larger version.