ROUTE 66 Road Trip - ROUTE 66 RV Network

ROUTE 66 Road Trip
By Steve Davidson
(From the top): A steep, winding road leads to Memorial Park in Red Wing,
Minn., a good place to enjoy the views and have a picnic lunch.
Along the Mississippi and Root rivers, you’ll find charming old towns with
downtown districts renovated and welcoming of visitors, such as Red Wing,
Minn., pictured here.
The Root River Trail system presents more than 40 miles of excellent paved
trails with farmland, bluffs, woods and the Root River providing the scenery.
Artsy sculptures made of bicycle parts contrast with wild natural vegetation
outside the Houston Nature Center in Houston, Minn.
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
a
t
o
s
e
n
n
Mi
Bluff
Country
In the land of 10,000 lakes,
we explore two special rivers.
G
rab your bike,
your canoe, your
binoculars, your
fishing gear, your
horse, your ATV . . . stow it all
in, on or behind your RV and
head to southeastern Minnesota.
There, the mighty Mississippi
River and the meandering Root
River set the tone for a very
special vacation experience.
Maybe you’ll spend as much
time in or on the water as possible. Or maybe you’ll get
no closer than the shoreline.
Doesn’t matter. These two rivers drive the character of the
area that reflects the rivers’
relaxing pace.
Let’s start with the Root
River. Paralleled much of the
way by Minnesota State Route
16, the Root River and its surrounding land is called Historic
Bluff Country. State Route 16
is designated as a National
Scenic Byway.
The region was untouched
by glaciers that flattened much
of Minnesota in the period from
25,000 to 12,000 years ago,
leaving rolling hills and limestone bluffs that contrast to the
flatter prairie land to the north
and west. A rich mixture of
upper Midwest hardwood trees
including oak, walnut, birch
and cherry plus pines covers
the land, much of which lies
within the Richard J. Dorer
Memorial Hardwood State
Forest. Thanks to this designation as state land, recreational
opportunities abound.
We took an upstream tour of
Historic Bluff Country, having
dropped off Interstate 90 just
after it crossed the Mississippi
River at LaCrosse, Wisc.. A
few miles south of LaCrescent,
Minn., catch State Highway 16
and head west.
Houston, Minn., sets the tone
for what’s to come. It’s small,
clean, and welcoming of tourists. Go north a couple of blocks
to the Houston Nature Center
to see displays of the region’s
wildlife and natural history.
Sited among the Center’s
natural landscapes are artistic sculptures formed from
bicycles. That’s your cue that
bicycles are embraced by this
region. The paved 42-mile Root
River State Trail is ideal for
bicyclists, hikers and in-line
skaters and in the winter, cross-
This view of the Mississippi River is your reward for hiking to the top of Red Wing Barn Bluff. You’ll find plenty of
scenic bluff top views along the way.
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
Red Wing attractions include
Levee Park with its Visitors
Center, and the Red Wing
Pottery Store.
A few miles southwest of
Harmony, Minn., you’ll find the
Niagara Cave nestled into the
fields. Take the hour-long guided
tour for sights including a 60foot waterfall.
vide shuttle services to bring
you back to where you started.
There are plenty of bicycle
rental sources, too.
Good Eats,
Great Sites:
• Try most any café or restaurant in
the Root River area for good hearty
fare. Notables: The Creamery
in Rushford for ice cream and pizza, plus a full menu;
the Pie Shop in Whalen for lunch; the Branding Iron Supper Club
in Preston for great views.
• Float the Root River in a canoe, kayak or tube.
• Learn about the Root River area’s natural history at the Nature
Center in Houston.
• Stroll downtown Lanesboro and take in a play at the
Commonweal Theatre.
• See the fascinating underground world with a tour of privately
owned Niagra Cave near Harmony or the Mystery Cave at
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park.
• Watch potters throw salt-glazed stoneware at the Red Wing Pottery
store in Red Wing.
• Give your legs and lungs a workout by climbing to the top of Barn
Bluff in Red Wing. Or sit on a bench in Levee Park or Colvill Park
and watch the Mississippi River flow by.
• Swing through Old Frontenac to view civil war-era mansions which
earned it the title of “Newport of the Northwest” during the late 1880s.
• Enjoy views of Lake Pepin from several scenic turnouts along
Highway 61.
country skiers, which is the
only trail activity that requires
a permit.
The Root River Trail runs from
Houston to Fountain. A southern
leg, the Harmony-Preston Valley
State Trail, connects to it north
of Preston and runs south to the
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
town of Harmony.
While bikers watch the river
as they peddle by it, canoeists,
kayakers and tubers see the river
up close and personal. Bring
your own or take advantage of
several outfitters in the area who
will rent floatables plus pro-
Settling in
The Historic Bluff Country
offers RV parks that make
the most of the area’s special attractions. Eagle Cliff
Campground and Lodging is
one of the larger ones, with
222 sites along the Root River
west of Lanesboro on Highway
16. “People come to this area
for the bike trails, the river
and the tourist towns,” explains
Joyce Knutson, an employee
at Eagle Cliff, who says she
sees campers staying longer
simply to enjoy the area. “It’s
a great place for families.” In
fact, she says family reunions
are becoming popular at the
campground. No matter where
you plan to stay, “make reservations,” she says.
The Old Barn Resort is
another RV park. True to its
name, the big old white barn —
listed on the National Register
of Historic Places — presides
over the 18-hole Rivers’ Bend
golf course that lies on either
side of the Root River, and a
campground with 172 sites for
RV and tent camping. The barn
includes a restaurant, bar and
game room, and the feeling
that a lot of people have enjoyed
the resort’s laid-back charms
since its renovation in 1988.
With your rig settled into one
of the area’s campgrounds, you
can get on your bikes and ride to
your heart’s content, exploring
every one of the trail system’s
asphalt-covered miles. Or drive.
Or float. In every town on the
trail, you’ll find a downtown district that welcomes visitors, offers
good food and drink, and presents ample diversions for simply
walking around and exploring.
Lanesboro is the epicenter
of Root River country. Nicely
restored century-old buildings house a variety of shops
and restaurants. On summer
Wednesdays and Saturdays you
can gather fresh local delicacies
at the Lanesboro Farmers’ Market
in Sylvan Park. The nationally
known Commonweal Theatre
Company produces plays yearround in its newly opened $3.5
million 185-seat theater.
The town of Harmony sits at
the southern edge of Root River
Country. Five miles southwest
of Harmony, nestled among the
fields, is Niagara Cave, one of
the largest caves in the Midwest.
In Wabasha, Minn., the National
Eagle Center is scheduled for grand
opening at the end of September. It
includes a viewing area for frequent
eagle sightings.
Take comfort.
A Honda portable generator is the ideal travel companion. It’s super quiet,
extremely reliable and won’t run down your RV battery. So you can enjoy
all the comforts of home without being anywhere near it.
For a free brochure or the nearest dealer, call 800.426.7701 or shop online at gen.honda.com.
Please read the owner’s manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment. Connection of a generator to house power requires
a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. ©2007 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
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Scenic Route
Vol. 2 / No. 6
Ready-to-rent kayaks in Lanesboro, speak to the
easy-floating fun that awaits on the nearby Root River.
Sailboats dock at Lake City. Located
on the Mississippi River’s Lake
Pepin, it’s one of the largest marinas
on the Mississippi. These stairs provide one small breather on the way
up the mostly unpaved path to the
top of Red Wing Barn Bluff.
View its underground scenery,
including a 60-foot waterfall, on
a one-hour guided tour. Back in
Harmony, don’t be
surprised if you
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River region consume
your whole vacation as you get another river . . . one that’s just a
caught up in its easy charms. But little bit bigger.
we also wanted to get a flavor of
The mighty Mississippi starts
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
its 2,300-mile journey to the
Gulf of Mexico at Lake Itasca
in north central Minnesota’s
Lake Country. It’s not until the
first set of 26 locks and dam in
Minneapolis that the Mississippi
takes on the working character
that defines it and the river towns
that line it.
By the time it reaches the
town of Red Wing, Minn., the
Mississippi River is in its full
working strength, with towboats
and barges moving grain, fuel,
Horses? ATVs?
coal and fertilizer while recreational boaters ply the inlets
for fish or enjoy the majestic
bluff scenery.
Thanks to those bluffs,
there are two ways to enjoy a
great view of this old river city.
The easy way is to drive up to
Memorial Park. The “no trucks”
sign and a few steep tight turns
makes this a drive better suited
for a solo vehicle or a Class A
motorhome. At the top, you’ll be
rewarded with a panoramic view
plus a nice park for picnicking.
The more challenging way is
to hike to the top of Barn Bluff.
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Highway 14
Byron, MN 55920
(888) 488-4787
Do this only if you consider
yourself to be in good shape
and have good hiking shoes.
There are no facilities of any
kind at the top, only another
beautiful view.
For many, the word “Red
Wing” is synonymous with pottery. Today, the Red Wing Pottery
company is one of Minnesota’s
oldest businesses and ranks in
the top 10 of Minnesota’s shopping destinations. You’ll also
find the Historic Pottery District,
and Pottery Place Mall, and a
lovely downtown shopping district. As you’re walking through
downtown, be sure to step down
to Levee Park to enjoy the riverfront and check out the Red
Wing Visitors Center in the historic old train depot.
Red Wing’s Colvill Park offers
another opportunity to relax, pic-
Whatever your choice of horsepower, southeastern Minnesota
offers several opportunities.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park near Preston has the highest horseback use of any state park in Minnesota. The hilly terrain
and winding streams provide interesting and scenic riding. Fifty-five
camping sites are available for horse campers.
The Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest offers several daily use areas and campgrounds with horse trails. Among them
are Hay Creek, Reno horse campground, Zumbro Bottoms horse
campgrounds, Wet Bark horse campgrounds, and Vinegar Ridge
campsites.
ATV riders will find 13.5 miles of trails available to them at the
Snake Creek Trailhead daily use area, near Kellogg and also in the
Richard J. Dorer State Forest.
nic and enjoy Mississippi River
views. The park includes a marina with boat launch and a public
aquatic center. There’s ample
room to maneuver the biggest
RVs, but overnight camping is
prohibited.
Take U.S. Highway 61
south to embrace river views
to the east and bluff views to
the west. Stop and explore at
any community you come to;
each will give you a true sense
of life in a river town. Unique
among them is Old Frontenac.
The entire community, which
Red Wing Levee Park is a good
place to relax and watch the river
flow by. It’s just a block away from
downtown shops and restaurants.
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
U.S. Highway 61, designated as a Great River Road, has numerous turnouts
where you can take in the scenery. This one’s north of Lake City.
lacks any commercial establishments, is on the National
Register of Historic Places, the
first Minnesota community to be
so named. Beautiful Civil War
era mansions still stand.
You’ll
pass
Frontenac
State Park on your way to Old
Frontenac. It’s emphasized as a
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Where to Stay:
prime birder’s park and includes
58 drive-in campsites, 19 with
electricity.
There’s a reason the
Mississippi River looks unusually wide along here. It’s a naturally formed section of the river
called Lake Pepin that’s up to
two miles wide and 22 miles
long. It’s a year-round recreation
destination, popular with sailors
in the summer and ice fishermen
in the winter.
Several towns along the
way, including Lake City and
Wabasha, have RV parks very
close to downtown and the river
although overnight camping
may be very limited. Lake City,
“birthplace of waterskiing,” has
a river walk that covers more
than two miles of the town’s
river front. On it, you’ll walk
past one of the largest marinas
on the Mississippi.
The city of Wabasha, in
Root River area
• Beaver Creek Valley State Park, 15954 County 1, Caledonia, (507) 724-2107
• Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, 21071 County 118, Preston, (507) 352-5111
• DunRomin’ Park, 12757 DunRomin’ Drive, Caledonia, (507) 724-2514
• Eagle Cliff Campground, 35455 State Highway 16, Lanesboro, (507) 467-2598
• Highway 250 Campground, Highway 250, Lanesboro, (507) 467-3395
• The Old Barn Resort and Rivers Bend Golf, Preston, (507) 467-2512
• Fillmore County Fair Campground, 413 East Fillmore Street, Preston,
(507) 765-2425
• Maple Springs Campground and Country Store, 21606 County 118, (507) 352-2056
• Valley View Campground, 23750 U.S. 52, Preston, (507) 765-2227
Mississippi River area
• Frontenac State Park, 29223 County 28 Blvd., Frontenac, (651) 345-3401
• Bass Camp Resort, 12859 Rolbiecki Road, Minnesota City, (507) 689-2856
• Hay Creek Valley Campground, 31655 Highway 58 Blvd. South, Red Wing,
(888) 388-3998
• Wabash Motel and RV 1110 Hiawatha Drive East, Wabasha, (651) 565-9932
addition to having a delightful
downtown district, lays claim
to being Minnesota’s oldest
community and the site where
the movie, “Grumpy Old Men,”
was filmed.
In recognition of having one
of the country’s largest concentrations of bald eagles during the
winter months, the town is home
to the National Eagle Center
which is scheduled for grand
The Bass Camp resort lies immediately south of Lock and Dam Number 5.
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Scenic Route
Vol. 3 / No. 4
opening the end of September.
Already open to the public, the
center promises to offer great
insight into America’s national
symbol. It’s only a short walk
from the downtown area, which
might be your best option as
parking immediately by the center appears limited.
Much of the bluff side of
the river is part of the sprawling Richard J. Dorer Memorial
Hardwood State Forest that also
encompasses the Root River
region. As a state forest, it offers
a wide range of multiuse opportunities. We checked out the
Kruger State Forest campground
which is about five miles west
of Highway 61. It’s lightly used,
with 19 rustic campsites and a
nearby canoe launch into the
Zumbro River.
Further south, off-road vehi-
There are plenty of private and
public campgrounds in the region.
Private ones include Eagle Cliff
Campground in Lanesboro and the
Old Barn Resort and Rivers Bend
Golf in Preston. Reservations are
strongly encouraged for all parks
and campgrounds.
cle enthusiasts will find 13.5
miles of trails designated for
their use at the Snake Creek
Forest Management Unit near
Kellogg. Nearby Carley State
Park has 20 drive-in sites;
Whitewater State Park has 106
drive-in sites.
Also near Kellogg is the
LARK toy store which bills
itself as the nation’s largest independent toy store. Inside, you’ll
find lots of unique and nostalgic
tin, wooden and stuffed toys plus
an indoor carousel, a restaurant,
and outdoor miniature golf.
As you meander south on
Highway 61, avoid pulling into
tiny John Latsch State Park in
search of a campsite (there are
only seven walk-in tent sites).
But you can stretch your legs
there and gain another great river
view by hiking the half-mile trail
to the top of Charity Bluff.
Lock and Dam Number 5 has
a parking area and a viewing
spot to watch boats being raised
or lowered through the locks.
Immediately south of the dam
is the Bass Camp Resort with 74
RV sites and a true Mississippi
River fishing camp feel.
A few miles further south, we
rolled into Winona. The chain
stores reappeared, we no longer
could see the river just beyond
our door, and that one-stepfrom-reality feeling that the river
imparts began to fade. We drove
a few more miles south, hit the
entrance ramp to Interstate 90,
set the cruise control and said
farewell to a wonderful slice
of upper Midwestern river city
experience. [
Parsons & Greater
Labette County
Towboats push barges filled with grain, fuel, coal and other bulk products up
and down the Mississippi River.
For more information
www.bluffcountry.com
www.redwing.org
www.mississippi-river.org
www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks
!
t
i
h
c
t
a
C
World-Class Fishing
Class A Campsites
Specialty & Niche Shopping
www.parsonsks.com
800-280-6401
tourism@parsonsks.com
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Vol. 3 / No. 4