Sunfish Capital of the World!
On our last day in La Crosse we took a short trip to Onalaska for a great breakfast, a visit with Sunny, and some beautiful lake and river overlooks. Breakfast was so good that we stopped again the next day, then continued on with a walk to three (of seven) bridges and a wine tasting on the way to our next destination. Ahh, I love vacations!
To start at the beginning of this series, visit GRR: La Crosse to St. Paul
The Most Important Meal!
It was a lovely morning in August, so we decided to sit outside at the Blue Moon Restaurant. Since I am a huge fan of eggs benedict (and Dr. Seuss), when I saw Green Eggs and Ham on the menu I had to have it – with a side of great views of Lake Onalaska just across the road.
“The Blue Moon has been a landmark along Highway 35 for nearly 100 years. What was originally a home built for a local family later became a popular night club, known as the Blue Moon. Through the years the building became a residence for a second time, a restaurant in 1957, a piano bar in the 70’s, and then again a restaurant under different names and ownership through the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. In 2007 the restaurant was purchased by the Nimtz family and has undergone extensive remodeling to reopen as the infamous Blue Moon.” ~ READ MORE
Sunny the Sunfish and More!
When I googled the city of Onalaska and discovered its apparent worldwide distinction as the “Sunfish Capital of the World”, I was so excited that we happened upon Sunny – the 15 feet high, 25 feet long ambassador of Onalaska. The best part was that he was stationed just across the road from the Blue Moon with much better views than from the deck over the parking lot!
When Onalaska celebrates its annual Sunfish Days, Sunny is the guest of honor – mounted near a fantastic deck overlooking the Onalaska River. Views are amazing from this vantage point, especially with viewing binoculars that were donated by a couple who lived nearby for years (see photo below).
While we were gawking at the view, we could hear a train in the distance, and I was able to get a picture as it passed us by. Trains became regular occurrences on this trip, since the upper Mississippi is a key corridor for railroads – both passenger and large freight trains.
If you click on the photo just above, you can see a numbered list of nine natural landmarks that can be seen from this beautiful red deck. 1) Onalaska Spillway; 2) Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway; 3) Bluffs of Minnesota; 4) Main Channel of the Mississippi River; 5) Black River; 6) Bell Island; 7) La Crosse Airport Lights; 8) Lake Onalaska and 9) Rosebud Island.
Great River Landing
Any time we can combine a view of a waterway, a Visitor Center, and more sunfish – we have to stop. Great River Landing was an excellent combination of all of the above – plus a big swing to enjoy the views in the shade as this day warmed up.
“The Great River Landing in Onalaska, WI plays host to the trailhead of the Great River State Trail with showers and locker rooms for bicyclists enjoying the 101 miles of interconnecting state trails. A new visitor center allows for beautiful views of Lake Onalaska and the Black River. Great shore fishing near the Onalaska Spillway, and a waterfront that plays host each year to the Three Rivers Roleo log rolling championship.”
Quite a Place!
A quick walk around the Visitor Center offered more cool stuff – including Bobber, Joy, and Willy – Onalaska’s Rockin Sunfish in a children’s playground. And of course, beautiful flowers and a lovely stained glass art installation. We really enjoyed this stop, and if you’re into biking, this is a great stopping point while enjoying 101 miles of interconnecting state trails.
Eagle Watch
We continued north and found a nice parking lot with another lovely garden and park benches strategically placed for relaxing by the Black River. Eagle Watch is known for bald eagles (and also pelicans) during cold-weather months.
One post on Reddit says that March is the best month to see eagles here, especially after a long freeze when the river is opening up. With plenty of great fishing spots, it’s possible to see from twenty to a hundred eagles on a visit during this “peak” time. For folks like us – who visit in August – a sculpture would have to suffice.
Lake Onalaska Overlook and Visitor Center
The next morning (after another stop at the Blue Moon), we worked our way north to our two-night stay in Trempealeau – with a few stops on the way. Part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, the Lake Onalaska Overlook seemed a little odd at first – located on a single lot in a row of houses along the waterway. But the presentation was beautiful with some ironwork for privacy (probably for the neighbors), and a nice panoramic view of the waters of Lake Onalaska. But what’s that green stuff?
If you’re looking for a swim, this is not the place to do it, since that crusty green stuff – while a beautiful vibrant green – protects a SMORGASBORD of vegetation that sustains the local birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Zoom in on the last photo below for more info.
As we headed back to our car we noticed another info sign and a one-mile trail that would take us to the Visitor Center. We headed down the trail for a bit, but suddenly realized it would take us quite a while to get there (and then back to our car). We ended up driving in way less time, because after all – we were on a schedule!
Lake Onalaska Overlook and Visitor Center
Another beautiful Visitor Center, this one was pretty amazing – with lots of information about the Mississippi Flyway. Jim and I started to think about the Mississippi River being a birds’ version of google. They can see it from far above and instinctively know where to land away from the madness of the cities.
Be sure to zoom in on the yellowish photo below that talks about the National Wildlife Refuge System and its over 550 refuges (more than 150 million acres) that provide vital habitat for America’s wildlife populations. Hopefully going forward, this will remain a priority for our country.
“You are standing at a rest stop on one of North America’s busiest highways, the Mississippi Flyway. The Mississippi River corridor is one of the most important migration and habitat corridors in North America.
Over 375 species of birds travel the Mississippi Flyway, which runs from the Mckenzie River in Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Uninterrupted by mountains, the Mississippi Flyway extends more than 3,000 miles.
The Mississippi River provides safe resting, feeding, breeding, and nesting areas in the form of open water pools, backwater tributaries, prairies, and forests.” ~ from the map illustration below
McGilvray 7 Bridges Trail
“McGilvray Road is located in Northwest La Crosse County, Wisconsin, in the Van Loon Wildlife Area. Located on a former vehicular road is a unique combination of five rare bowstring arch truss bridges and one low truss bridge. They represent two styles of bridge construction popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which are quickly being replaced due to deterioration or inability to meet today’s greater traffic requirements. Currently the McGilvray Road and its bridges are open only to pedestrian traffic.
The McGilvray Road Truss Bridge Group is on the Wisconsin State and National Registers of Historic Places. The five remaining bowstring arch truss bridges are over 100 years old.” ~ from Travel Wisconsin
Nice Day for a Walk
You can see the appeal of this walk from the quote above, right? We (I) decided a walk to seven bridges would be a great idea. I’ve come to love bridges of late, and the walk will do us good after another fantastic breakfast at the Blue Moon. A sign at the start of the trail indicated there were only six, and the website I quoted above said five, so right away it was more doable.
Jim decided he’d walk a few and maybe sit down and read his book while I finished the rest. And most walks in the woods are shaded, which would feel pretty good on one of the hottest days of the trip so far. So we started our journey and came up to Bridge 1. Although there wasn’t much water under the bridge, it was pretty cool.
Buggy, Hot, and Repetitious!
Of course we left our bug spray in the car, and on this hot and sticky day that may have helped our dispositions. Bridge 2 looked a lot like Bride 1, but dammit I’m going to finish this walk! We came upon Bridge 3, and although there was a lot more water under it, it still looked a lot like the first two. The bugs were getting worse and could it be getting hotter? As the mosquitos buzzed us, I decided our time could be better spent at our next stop – a winery!
A Little Vino
After our disappointing trek through the Van Loon “Wildlife” Area, we stopped at El Maro Vineyard – just five miles from our inn in Trempealeau. This was a beautiful place where we could taste a flight, then relax on the lovely patio at the edge of the vines! What a great way to end this long day. We made sure to buy a few bottles so we could be reminded of this beautiful day on the Great River Road. Cheers!
A Long, But Fabulous Day!
We had a wonderful time exploring La Crosse and Onalaska with the beautiful Mississippi River right by our side. But now we’re headed to Trempealeau, where we really start seeing the trains (up close).
Next up: Our Inn on the River
Happy trails,
Barb
