Goose Island County Park (WI) Amble/Hike

View along Wigwam Slough

Goose Island is an iconic county park that is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and leased to La Crosse County. Past the campground, it's southern edge and boat landing actually are part of Vernon County. Nestled among the sloughs of the Mississippi River, the park attracts anglers, birders, canoe and kayakers, campers and hikers to it's sprawling acres. 

The trails here are flat and offer stunning scenery of bluffs, river and sloughs, oak savannahs, floodplain forest and wide open prairie. Because the trails are so near the river and floodplain forests, it can be a wet park in spring and during rainy summers - and that often means mosquitos. But in dry year like this one, it is a truly special Amble* destination.

Artesian well on shady maple trail

There are two particular hikes that are about 2.6 miles combined and bring you to a quiet area of the park. For the first short 1 mile loop hike on Shady Maple trail, take a left at the flagpoles (rather than following the road to the left). Park anywhere along this short spur. This area is a wildlife refuge that is part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

Artesian well in winter

You walk right through a floodplain forest on an old road. You can continue to the tip of the island and then head back. The woods offer glimpses of wetlands in wet years. On the eastern side of the loop tip, you will see an old artesian well that pumps out water year round. It is especially beautiful in winter with it's ice art around it. This is a great trail to snowshoe off-trail during the winter. If it's cold enough and the ice is firm, you can snowshoe across to nearby islands.

Walking down the Wigwam slough trail

The second trail is just south of the campground where there is a parking area on your right. You'll see a trail to your left. This 1.6 loop begins on a grassy trail, in a dense growth of river birches. It continues through a hardwood forest before coming out into an oak savannah that is being restored.

You soon turn right by the Mississippi River - or at least a slough. Named the Wigwam slough, this beautiful waterway stays to your left all along this long, wide grass and gravel trail. The Minnesota bluffs, beds of wild rice, turtles and waterbirds like egrets, herons, ducks and eagles can be seen along the swift-running water.  There is also an abundance of huge oaks, cottonwoods and river birches along this part of the trail. The area has experienced significant flooding and there is clear evidence of shore erosion but the trail is intact.

Mussels on the shore

Near the end of this section, you will see what looks like old posts in the ground on both sides of the trail. This is the remains of an old parking lot for he Silver Palace, a dance hall that once was located there. This area is also one where a number of Indigenous people’s artifacts have been found and excavated. Each summer, people can participate in a UW-La Crosse Archaeology Field School and work with archaeologists on an actual excavation. After a right turn towards the campground, you end back at the parking lot.

During the winter, there is a bird feeding station across from the campground that attracts both birds and humans to interact. It only sees heavy activity in winter months when food is hard to find for the birds. With patience and stillness and some small nuts,  birds will land right on your palm!

Feeding birds at the bird feeding station

THE HIKE

Two trails on the south end of Goose Island park offer fantastic views and beautiful walks through floodplain forest, oak savannah, restored prairie and hardwood forest. The water side of the trail gives glimpses of the Mississippi, views of waterfowl and bluffs and other wildlife and signs of wildlife.  These are flat trails that allow the leisure of observation of nature all around. An artesian well on the Shady Maple trail is a highlight (the water is not potable).

Location: W6488 Cty Rd GI

Head 3 miles south out of La Crosse on Hwy 35. Turn right at the park entrance and follow the winding road in to the flagpoles, turn left and park. For the second hike, continue along the road to the stop sign. Turn left and go to the end of the campground to access the parking lot at the south end of the campground.

A very old river birch near the slough

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

*Ambles are what we in La Crescent's Driftless Drifters hiking club call hikes that are up to 2.5 miles long on flatter trails. They are perfect for people who like a slower pace, are recovering from illness or injury or just like to spend a little extra time on shorter trails enjoying nature.