Amble - Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor Center Prairie

Prairies surround the Visitor's Center
 (in the background)

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is a 261 mile-long habitat for migratory birds, fish wildlife it just celebrated its 100 year anniversary. The La Crosse district which stretches from La Crosse WI to Reno MN (pools 7-8) includes a fantastic Visitor Center in Brice Prairie WI. - a welcoming space with interactive displays, a nature store, knowledgeable staff and volunteers. 

While the name of this prairie is a mouthful, it features a gentle hike on a restored 180 acre sand prairie surrounding the La Crosse District Visitor Center. The prairie is a must-see throughout the late spring, summer and fall blooming seasons. And as an ADA-accessible site, it's perfect for anyone of any ability or age.

Big sky over the prairie

Although I love the Visitor Center, what really calls me back again and again is their large sand prairie. Radiating out to the north, south and west of this beautiful building, the prairie has over 2 miles of multiple flat, connecting trails perfect for slow walking. Some are stroller- and walker-friendly paved asphalt and some are grass and gravel. The trails are also open for running, aerobic walking, biking and dog walking (with poop bags available at each parking lot).

A brown-belted bumblebee
on a wild bergamot

At intervals, near the Visitor Center, signs are posted identifying some patches of native prairie flowers and their blooming seasons. The trail edges are mowed to allow up-close examination and observation of the abundant prairie forbs, birds and insect life. Dragonflies, butterflies, beetles, damselflies are much in evidence as are a variety of nesting birds including the dickcissel, sparrows, vireos and orioles. 

The overlook

The main paved trail winds from the Visitor Center through the midst of the trails to the Lake Onalaska Overlook. You pass the small west parking lot, cross Hwy ZB and arrive at a kiosk surrounded by a native prairie flower garden. There is a bench and viewing scope as you look out at the views of the Mississippi River, Minnesota bluffs and waterfowl.

An active Friends group help staff the Visitor Center, maintain the gardens near the Visitor Center and Overlook and support the programming of the Center. 

Trail map

The prairie trails are open all year long dawn to dusk. In winter, the trails are open to cross country skiing and snowshoeing.  Another great feature is outdoor restrooms that are available at the back of the building. 

The Visitor Center and gift shop have more limited hours so check the website or call ahead  (608 779-2399) to confirm if you are planning to enjoy their interactive displays, indoor and outdoor scavenger hunts, "Let's Go Outside" backpacks, Nature Store and more.

Rough blazing star and
Black-eyed Susan

THE HIKE:
2.5 miles of flat, interconnecting asphalt and grass trails make it a snap to tailor this hike to any length and ability. The expansive 180 acre restored sand prairie is alive with native nesting songbirds and abundant insect life from late spring to early fall. Choose the ZB parking lot to explore the river overlook and the west side trails or the main parking lot to admire native pollinator plantings next to the Visitor Center. Trails are ADA accessible.

The Location:
N5727 County Road Z, Onalaska, WI
The Visitor Center is located by the large main east parking lot off Hwy Z in Brice Prairie.  You can access these roads from HWY 35 north off Hwy 90. Turn left at the lights at Hwy OT; left at first stop sign (Cty ZN). Follow that to next stop sign and turn right onto Cyty Z. The entrance is to your immediate left within .1 miles. There is a smaller lot on Hwy ZB that gives access to the west-side trails near the river.

The view of Mississippi River backwaters from the overlook

Looking for more area hikes? Please stop by the web version of the blog and under the "Labels" tab on the right hand side of the blog, click on "find-a-hike". There are over 60 hike descriptions and lists of hikes to try!

A buckeye butterfly on the gravel trails

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

I Spy on the Trails - July 1-15, 2025

July came in with a bang, as it usually does. Fireworks, fireflies, heat and knee-high (wait, make that shoulder-high) corn by the 4th of July were back suggesting a more typical pattern to this month's adventures. 

Tule bluet damselfly
Image - Earl Bye, https://rwwild.com

Our temps stayed in the mid-to high 80's with fairly high humidity most days.  Abundant and frequent rain earlier this month in parts of the MN, IA and WI Driftless areas encouraged lush plant growth, higher river levels and faster currents, massive mosquito hatches and the annual return of the mayfly. We ended up with about 1.5 - 2 inches of rain over this two weeks.

Stoney Point prairie remnant (MN)

The mosquitoes made woods hiking challenging during the latter part of these two weeks. Without bug repellent, head nets - and for me, my Rynoskin shirt - we would have reluctantly donated alot of blood to the female mosquito's reproductive cycle. A recent hike had swarms of mosquitoes surrounding us as we hiked through a woods towards our prairie destination. Talk about aerobic hiking! Once out on the sunny, open prairie, we enjoyed virtually mosquito-free time exploring. Prairies forever!

From July 11-13, we had significant degraded air quality in MN and over in WI from Canadian wildfires. The north and central part of the state had very high levels of particulates, while our Driftless area had slightly less. To check air quality, you can use the EPA Air Now app or website: https://www.airnow.gov/ . It will help you determine the risk of outdoor activity during poor air quality times.

Holland Sand Prairie (WI)

As an oldster, I hike with an N95 mask when the air quality deteriorates to the “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Do I love it? Nope. But as a thinking human being, I know that the smoky haze I see in the distance is surrounding me as well. I prefer to ease things for my lungs and body systems by masking up and staying on mellow trails - if I head out at all.

Grant Park, Chicago

I spent some time away from the woods during these two weeks in downtown Chicago. While classical music concerts and museums were on the agenda, I didn't have to leave nature far behind. The city parks and sidewalks were festooned with gorgeous planters and gardens that are only open in summer. 

Rory McEwan print

And a real treat was an exhibition of artist/musician Rory McEwen's amazing botanical drawings from the 1960s -1980s. It was wonderful to still feel connected to nature despite being surrounded by high rises, crowds and concrete.

As we enter the second half of the month, the woods are full of fungi and mosquitoes, the prairies are awash in flowers - and sometimes gnats. It's a great time, especially in the morning to get out and see all the amazing life - not just the plants but the bees, dragonflies, damselflies and other insects that are much in evidence.

See you on the trails!

Plant Observations
Flowering/Mature plants:

• agrimony, tall hairy
• alyssum, hoary
• anemone, candle (cylindrical thimble weed)
• avens, white
• beebalm, spotted

  

  Spotted beebalm flowers

• bergamot, wild
• black-eyed Susan
• campion, starry
• cinquefoil, sulphur
• cinquefoil, tall
• cliffbrake, dwarf
• clover, purple prairie
• clover, white prairie
• columbine
• compassplant
• coneflower, gray-headed 
• coneflower purple
• coreopsis, prairie
• Culver's root
• Deptford pink
• devil's paintbrush
• fern, bracken
• fern, interrupted
• fern lady
• fern, maidenhair
  
• fern, ostrich
• fern, wood
• fleabane, daisy
• fleabane, prairie
• flax, grooved
• germander, American
• harebell 
• hawksbeard, narrowleaf
• hawkweed, hairy
• hyssop, anise
• indigo, wild white
• leadplant
• lobelia, palespike
• milkvetch, Canadian
• milkweed, butterfly 
• milkweed, common
• milkweed, green comet

  

  Whorled milkweed

• milkweed, whorled
• mint, Virginia mountain
• New Jersey tea
• plantain, ribwort
• poppy mallow, purple
• primrose, common evening-
• puccoon, haory
• rockcress, lyreleaf 
• rose, prairie
• spiderwort, Ohio
• spurge, flowering
• St. John's wort
• sunflower, false
• thimbleweed, tall
• toadflax, yellow
• vervain, blue
• vervain, hoary
• yarrow

Sprouts/unbloomed/past bloom:

• aster, aromatic
• aster, Drummond's
• aster, hairy
• aster, western silver
• aster, white heath
• blacksnakeroot, clustered 
• blazing star, dense
• blazingstar, dwarf
• blazing star, rough

  

  Roundhead bushclover (WI)

• boneset, false
• bushclover, roundhead
• camus, mountain death
• cecily, sweet
• coneflower, cutleaf 
• Culver’s root
• cup plant
• feverwort
• goldenrod, elmleaf
• goldenrod, early
• goldenrod, giant
• goldenrod, gray
• goldenrod, prairie
• goldenrod, showy
• goldenrod, stiff
• goldenrod, tall
• horse-gentian, orangefruit 
• honewort, Canadian
• lettuce, Canadian
• mayapple
• mint, mountain
• pussytoes, plantain
• rattlesnake master
• sunflower, stiff
• sunflower, woodland
• Pasqueflower 
• white sagebrush
• wild ginger
• wood betony

Grasses/Sedges:

• alfalfa
• bluestem, big
• bluestem, little
• brome, prairie
• brome, smooth 
• ryegrass, Virginia wild 
• grass, eastern bottle-brush 
• grass, Canada wildrye
• grass, beardless
• grass, deertongue
• grass, sideoats grama
• grass, switch
• indiangrass, yellow
• panicgrass, Scribner's

Fungi/Moss/Lichen:

• forkmoss, broom 

  

  Jellied false coral fungus (IA)

• fungus, jellied false coral
• fungus, scrambled egg slime
• fungus, white jelly
• mushroom, clay-gilled milkcap
• mushroom, mustard-yellow polypore
• mushroom, oysterling 
• mushroom platterful
• mushroom, puffball
• mushroom, ruby bolete
• mushroom, scarlet elfen cup
• mushroom, veiled-bulb aminita
• mushroom, weeping milkcup
• moss, American tree
• moss, silvery thread 
• thyme-moss, woodsy 

Wildlife Observations (seen, heard, detected)
Birds:

• blackbird, red-winged
• blue jay
• bobolink
• cardinal, northern
• catbird, gray
• cedar waxwing
  
• chickadee, black-capped
• cowbird, brown-headed

  

  Great-crested flycatcher
  Image - Scott Martin, Merlin Bird ID

• eagle
• dickcissel
• finch, purple
• finch, house
• flicker, northern
• flycatcher, Acadian 
• flycatcher, great-crested
• gnatcatcher, blue-gray 
• eagle
• finch, house
• flicker, northern
• grosbeak, rose-breasted
• hawk, redtail
• indigo bunting
• goldfinch, American
• kingbird, eastern
• meadowlark, eastern
• meadowlark, western
• nuthatch, white-breasted
• oriole, Baltimore
• oriole, orchard
• pewee, eastern wood
• purple martin
• redstart, American
• robin, American
• sandpiper, spotted
• sapsucker, yellow-bellied
• scarlet tananger
• shrike, loggerhead
• sparrow, clay-colored

  

  Warbling vireo
  Image - Dan Danko, Merlin Bird ID

• sparrow, field
• sparrow, house
• sparrow, song
• swallow, barn
• swallow, cliff
• swallow, tree
• swift, chimney
• titmouse, tufted
• towhee, eastern 
• vireo, Bell's
• vireo, red-eyed
• vireo, warbling
• vireo, yellow-throated
• vulture, turkey
• warbler, cerulean
• warbler, yellow
• wild turkey 
• woodpecker, downy
• woodpecker, hairy
• woodpecker, pileated
• woodpecker, red-bellied
• wood-pewee, eastern 
• wood thrush
• wren, house
• wren, sedge
• yellowthroat, common

Waterfowl:

• sandhill crane

Black-and-gold bumblebee (WI)

Insects:

• beetle, American rose chafer
• bumblebee, black-and-gold
• bumblebee, common eastern 
• butterfly, great spangled fritillary
• butterfly, monarch
• butterfly, pearl crescent
• butterfly, silver-spotted skipper
• butterfly, silvery checkerspot
• butterfly, tiger swallowtail
• damselfly, bluet
• damselfly, tule bluet 
• dragonfly, blue dasher 
• draginfly, Halloween pennant
• dragonfly, twelve-spotted skimmer
• dragonfly, widow
• moth, hummingbird clearwing

Two great spangled fritillary butterflies on a butterfly weed (IA)

What are YOU seeing on your hikes?

Two weeks of hikes
Hikes below in colored, bold type or underlined have links to previous posts OR descriptions/location  of the trails found online

IOWISOTA bluff, Lansing IA;  Vetsch/Stoney Point Park, La Crescent, MN;  Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor's Center, Brice Prairie WI (2); Yellow River State Forest, Harper's Ferry IA; Holland Sand Prairie, Holmen WI (2); Mathy Quarry, La Crosse WI; downtown Chicago sidewalks, Chicago IL (3); Apple Blossom Overlook Park, Winona County MN

Iowisota (IA) bluff prairie view 
of the Mississippi River

The "I Spy on the Trails" column is a phenology (the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals) journal to chronicle year-round the weather, plant life and wildlife I observe while hiking. It is very useful in helping me compare observations from year-to-year. The column is published monthly from September through April and then twice-a-month from May through August when warm weather brings the natural world back to vibrant life.

Compass plant, Apple Blossom Overlook Park MN

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Snakes (Keep Them) Alive

 July 16 is World Snake Day. I want to share two recent Facebook posts from WI's Outdoor Recreation Alliance (ORA) and the WI DNR with some info on rattlesnakes and snake encounters. With warm sunny weather, snakes are more apt to be seeking spots in the sun along trails and asphalt near woods. 

On July 11, 2025, the ORA wrote:
It’s that sunny time of year again where sometimes we see all types of trail friends using the trails - Even the sunbathing, slithering kind! Because we've been hearing a few snake reports lately in Hixon, we wanted to remind trail users that there are a few ways to make sure we all stay comfortable when sharing natural spaces with wild animals. Even our slithering friends. 

In the rare event a bite occurs, seek medical help. Local groups, like Friends of the La Crosse Marsh can be great resources if you're looking for more information on wildlife and native species, and helped develop these tips.

To read more about rattlesnakes in the Driftless, check out this WI DNR information shared July 16, 2025 on Facebook:

It's World Snake Day, and to celebrate, we want to tell you about Wisconsin's two species of rattlesnakes.

They're the only venomous snakes in the state, but most people will go their whole lives without seeing one, which is precisely what these snakes prefer! They're not aggressive and will choose to hide or slither away before risking their lives confronting a creature 70 times their size (us).

Timber rattlesnakes are larger (3 to 5 feet long), have dark brown rings and are a species of Special Concern (protected wild animal). They're found in bluff prairies and nearby forests in the southwest, south central and western parts of the state.

Massasauga rattlesnakes are smaller (2 to 3 feet long) with brown saddle-shaped markings on their back and spots along their sides. They are endangered in Wisconsin and federally threatened. They live in more specialized wetland habitats across a diagonal band from the southeast to the west-central part of the state. Due to habitat loss and a historic rattlesnake bounty, they only remain at eight sites in Wisconsin.

There are many snakes you're more likely to see that will imitate a rattlesnake in an attempt to avoid becoming prey! Many of these imitators are much more aggressive than rattlesnakes and may pretend to rattle their tail or strike if approached, because they are nonvenomous – it's all an act.

Rattlesnakes try to conserve their venom for actual prey and usually choose to hide or flee. They are ambush predators, so they wait patiently along downed woody debris and on movement corridors for small mammals to cross their path and capture a meal.

Learn more about Wisconsin's rattlesnakes and their mimics: https://widnr.widen.net/s/5kskcl2gcl/nh0944

MN Driftless Hiking Trail July 2025 Update

The Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail is continuing it's growth and evolution. Here is the most recent newsletter from the group that updates what they are doing and planning. If you'd like to get involved in volunteering and helping to develop this proposed 100 + mile backpacking/hiking trail (similar to the Ice Age Trail in WI), head over to their webpage for even more information - and to sign up for this occasional newsletter!

Happy July! With the first half of the year behind us, we’re stepping into a new season of work for the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail. In the early months of  2025, our focus was on outreach, education, and engagement throughout the trail corridor. As someone still relatively new to the project, having been hired last fall, it’s been a meaningful opportunity to connect with people across the region and hear directly from residents about their hopes and concerns for the trail. Thank you to everyone who attended a forum, visited us at a public event, or welcomed us for a presentation. We’ve felt incredibly supported in every community we’ve visited–proof that Minnesota hospitality is alive and well. Looking ahead, we’re turning our focus to building landowner partnerships and working with local communities to establish access agreements. This project has so many layers, so in this issue, we’re sharing more about that process and how landowners can get involved. We hope you’ll take a look! Wishing you a wonderful summer, Alexa Shapiro Trail Director Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Conversations Shape the Trail Ahead

Over the past few months, we had the opportunity to host community forums in Chatfield, Caledonia, and Whalan. These gatherings brought together over 60 community members and sparked meaningful conversations about the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail. We were grateful for the opportunity to listen, learn, and share. Each session helped us better understand local hopes and concerns, and gave us space to talk about the many potential benefits the trail could bring to rural communities—like increased tourism, more opportunities for youth and families to access nature, stronger protections for our unique Driftless landscape, support for local businesses, and the chance to showcase the distinct culture of this region to new visitors. Of course, these conversations also highlighted some of the tough—but important—questions our project must continue to address. We appreciated the deep interest and thoughtful questions raised. It’s clear that people want to fully understand what the trail could mean for their communities and their land. Concerns ranged from the use of eminent domain to the potential impacts of increased foot traffic. We heard questions about litter, trailhead use, and how this project will respect the landowners who view their properties as places of refuge. We also heard important questions about how the trail might affect local hunters and how we plan to build this project in a way that strengthens, rather than disrupts, existing recreational use. These forums underscored the need for more clear communication from us. That’s why we’ve created a new FAQ document to provide more transparency and clarity about some of the key topics we heard at the forums about landowner partnerships and how hunting will be factored into planning. FAQ Despite the tough questions, the forums ended on an incredibly hopeful note. In each community, we saw a spark of excitement—an eagerness to start thinking about what comes next. From new ideas about how to welcome hikers with campgrounds, showers, and supplies, to conversations about funding opportunities and community partnerships, the energy was contagious. One question in Whalan captured the tone perfectly: “What can we start doing now to prepare to welcome hikers?” The answers that followed reflected a genuine sense of local pride and future-minded optimism. We walked away from each forum feeling more committed than ever to building this trail with communities, not just through them. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us to share ideas, voice concerns, and offer support. We’re looking forward to offering more opportunities to ask questions, provide feedback, and shape this trail together. The path forward is clearer—and more inspiring—thanks to you. Interested in Having the Trail Cross Your Land? Here’s How It Works. Becoming a landowner on the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail is a collaborative, thoughtful process rooted in mutual respect. It starts with a conversation–about your goal for the land and the vision of the trail. From there, we move step by step: Intro Conversation – We learn about your property and your vision for your land, and discuss how that could fit into the plans for the trail. Letter of Intent – A non-binding document that simply says you’d like to keep the conversation going. Site Visit & Mapping – We walk the land with you, learn how it’s used, and begin shaping what a trail route could look like. Access Agreements – These vary by property and your preferences–more details coming throughout July on social media and our website! Trail Designation & Build – We finalize the route and prepare it for hikers. Public Access Begins – You’re now part of a lasting public asset that benefits your community and the region! If you’re curious about what this could look like for your land, we’d love to talk. Keep an eye on our social media and website this July as we highlight landowner stories and walk through each step in more detail. Landowner Partnerships Voices From the Land 📖Do you love a good short story? Then you won’t want to miss our July Series – Voices from the Land. We’re highlighting some of the landowners who make the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail possible. These are the farmers, foresters, and families who’ve said yes to welcoming the trail across their land. In this special series, they share what they love about the Driftless, why they chose to partner with the trail, and what it means to care for the land–today and for future generations. To catch the series, follow @hikemndriftless on Facebook, Instagram, or X. The series begins Friday July 11! Social Media Help Build the Trail One Conversation at a Time Building the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail is about more than clearing brush or placing signs–it starts with relationships. From meeting with local and state leaders to walking the land with property owners, this trail is being built through trust, dialogue, and shared vision. If you’re someone who knows the land, the people, and the value of community connection, we need your help. We’re seeking volunteers to support our Landowner Partnerships–trusted voices who can talk with neighbors, share the vision of the trail, and help us connect with landowners interested in learning more. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or someone who’s deeply rooted in the region, your experience and relationships can help lay the foundation for a trail that reflects the heart of the Driftless. Want to get involved? Send us a message–we’d love to hear from you. Contact us P.S. We had a great time on Sunday helping our friends at the Lost Creek Hiking Trail with building a bridge to cross an area that has become washed out from the recent rain. A big thank you to our volunteers for helping with the project – we’re so grateful for your support! Next time you’re on the Lost Creek Hiking Trail, keep an eye out for the new bridge (pictured below)! We are grateful to Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center for serving as our fiscal sponsor for the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCRM) through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). Their support enables us to carry out our efforts to build a 100+ mile backpacking trail, fostering greater access to and appreciation for Minnesota’s natural landscapes.

Copyright (C) 2025 Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail. All rights reserved.

Additional posts on the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail:

• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Introduction 10/18/23
• Minnesota Driftless Trail Development Update 5/1/24
• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trails Updates  2/7/25
• Helping to Make the Dream Come True  3/7/25