Refuge

It's a must if you are coming to Perrot State Park to visit the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. Just north of the park exit on West Prairie Road or two more miles on the Great River Bike Trail.

Establish in 1936 the isolated backwaters of the Mississippi and Trempealeau rivers provide the necessary resting and feeding areas for waterfowl and other birds.

There's over 6000 acres of rich wetlands-backwaters, marshes, bottomland forests and rolling sand prairies for the migratory birds and other wildlife.

If you come by car there's the self-guided auto tour, or get out and hike the interpretive trails. The bicycle friendly roads are a great way to extend your trail ride but be sure to stop along the way to listen for the songs of birds and reptiles.

The marsh observation deck is a must if you have limited time.

A really great time to visit is spring and fall during the migrations. Upcoming events are:

Sat., June 29th @ 7am Birding Bike Program
Sat., July 6th & Aug. 3 @10:00am Raptors
Sat., July 13th @ 6:15am Sunrise Canoe Tour
Fri., July 19th @ 7:30pm Evening in the Prairie
Sat., July 20th @ 7:00am Prairie Day
Sat., Aug. 10th @7:30pm Night Hike
Fri., Aug. 16th @ 7:30pm Sunset Canoe

For details and updates contact the Refuge at 608-539-2311 ext.6

Falls Video

Short video of Horseshoe Falls, in the summer of 2013. Very rainy June.

HorseShoe Falls

 

Entrance from Road

Perrot Park has it's own little waterfall called HorseShoe Falls located along the west road that runs through the park. It's created by the runoff from atop Brady's Bluff. Although dry in the summer, in early spring or during a lot of rain you can see water in the falls. Okay it's not Yosemite, but it does have it's own ambiance with moss laden rocks, cliff swallows and that lovely sound of rain. It's part of a protected area so please tread lightly when entering.

Sorry I had a video for the real effect but has some technical difficulties, loading. Will try later.





Horse Shoe Shape

Early Spring View of Entrance towards River

Some'r on the river-some'r not

Arial View Perrot-Model in Head Quarters

Always loved
that saying.

Transitioning from living near a big lake to living near a river not only included different summer activities, it also threw off my sense of direction. The water was east for the lake and here it is west for the river. It even took awhile to refer to it as the correct body of water.

Living and playing along the Mississippi has been fun. From fishing at the Shores, sandbar camping or just cocktail cruising the river. Or just taking in the wildlife and views.

View of Trempealeau Bay

Perrot State Park is conveniently situated along the Mississippi River. The Trempealeau River fills the bay before emptying into the main channel of the Mississippi. There's canoeing and kayaking in this wonderful back bay. I will be taking my maiden journey soon I hope. It looks delightful.

Canoeist's have reporting seeing deer swimming across, lots of turtles and critters. Great way to see Egrets, Cranes, Eagles and Pelicans. There are also lots of grasses and plants to view along the way.



Railroad Bridge-into the Mississippi River

The bay depths range from 2 feet to 8 feet depending of the time of year and in the spring it races past the shores of Perrot into the Mississippi and beyond. Some even canoe over the Trempealeau Mountain and go for an exploratory hike. There are no maintained trails on the Mountain. The Mysteries of the Mountain will be a separate blog in the future.



Lock and Dam in Village of Trempealeau

A visit to the Lock and Dam in Trempealeau is very educational. The Army Corp of
Engineers, controls the flow of the Mighty Mississippi. It has changed the character of the land, some good, some not so good.

Come celebrate the beginning of summer, just sittin' on the dock of the Bay, wasting time. Did you see that one coming. One of my favorite songs by Otis Redding.


Enjoy the West Coast of Wisconsin




Sitting on the Dock of The Bay





 

Perspective

Taking photos of all I see at Perrot has made me think of the best angle for some plants. Just shooting the top may help others identify the blooms but seeing them from the ground up really can be impressive, revealing the architecture of the plant. It also gives it a giganticum approach and makes it look like something prehistoric.

Mayapple

Also known as Podophyllum peltatum, which sounds much more prehistoric and even cooler sometimes called Mandrake. Like the old world plant. It blooms in May, of which I've never seen and the following lemon shaped summer fruit is edible. When this plant blooms it's said it's time to start hunting for morels mushrooms.

This larger than life specimen is Equisetum or more commonly called Horsetail Plant. A real living fossil. Fun to play with the segments, they detach kinda like bamboo.


Love the angle, isn't it fun to horse around with plants.

What comes in, Must go out.

Sound familiar. At the state parks it has it's own meaning.

What you bring into the park on a daily basis you must take out of the park, i.e. trash. It's really a great concept that was implemented a few years ago. It saves the park money thereby keeping things, like fees down. It's astonishing to see people looking around for a trash bin, bewildered-where did they go. When they realize the policy, that the garbage they produce, they now have to live with in there vehicles till they return home, they are dismayed.

It was new to me as well when visiting the park. It gave me a whole new perspective on how much we leave behind us when we consume. Choosing to purchase items all neatly wrapped up for us the put in a handy plastic bag will literally follow you around for the day. This is a great reminder that all the trash we create does actually follow us and those that follow us. That got a little twisted around.



Keep Perrot Beautiful

Anyway the moral of the story is you are what you eat, no edit that, we have to be responsible for our own garbage, that's the point I'm trying to make. I know friends who are really adapt at living a lifestyle of low consumerism, because they live in an RV. They think before they buy something, do I really need it. Then there are friends who live in the country, they are responsible for disposing of their own garbage by taking it to the dump. Some can't imagine not having weekly pickup service. For so many of us it's so easy to put out a couple of bags of garbage and someone comes by and takes it away.

So when packing your picnic for the park, take along a garbage bag of your own or better yet buy things you can put in your own containers, Reuse, Recycle, just don't Request a garbage can.

Special Dads Day