This review is about the park area only not the Mystery Cave which is further down the road…read more Start with the unfortunate news, the walking bridge to the historic town of Forestville was closed. I did read about that in the state's info about the park ahead of time. I picked up a map at the office and was told there is a stone walking bridge at marker 8. More bad news on the trail. The field and location maps show markers on the trail but the numbers didn't correspond with the ground signs as many were missing. I just couldn't find the temporary bridge, or marker 8, but took a decent hike on the other trails. The park isn't as scenic as others but there is a variety of trails from easy to difficult, which is what I like. Some steep hills will test your true endurance. Driving out about another 1/2 mile I see more trails I missed, lo leads to marker 8.

We started on the Hiking Club Trail and took an extra loop up to the lookout trail. Well worth the…read moreextra 2m or so round trip to see a view of the valley. Trail was well marked, wide and well groomed. It took us over the creek with stepping stones to keep our feet dry. There were some bigger hills so be prepared for a climb. Much of the hiking trail is shared with horses so be prepared to watch where you step. It was also covered with soft gravel which was hard to walk in at times. This is a huge area and we saw lot of people and activity. A bridge was out so we didn't get to see the old Forestville town as we would have to detour an extra 20 minutes. Very happy we stopped here. We enjoyed the hike very much.

Pretty cool little excursion in LaCrosse. Easy drive up. Not a lot of signs alerting which…read moreparking lot is for the highest vantage point so my tip to you: drive through the open gates and drive until you see a parking lot with a gazebo-esque type outdoor building and that will be the highest point. Quick walk out to the edge. Some wild flowers added to the experience. It was a beautiful morning. Very clear and we were able to see the Mississippi river, Minnesota and of course Wisconsin. Worth taking the half hour to take in this view.

Nice little place to hike and just take in the scenery . I can only imagine how more beautiful it…read morewould be when the leaves change colors. Went a tad early.

We continued our quest to visit all of the Minnesota state parks. Lake Louise was a recent visit…read more The main trail was wide and well marked. It followed the water until we took an extra snow mobile trail that brought us out into the prairie. The prairie had lot of birds, butterflies, and grasshoppers. Most of the trail was smooth walking with a few areas of rocks and prairie uneven land. Overall it was a nice area. We saw a few people along the way but mostly it was quiet and l peaceful. Nice stop.

What a nice gem in LeRoy, MN. I went during the cold weather so it was a quiet peaceful trail…read more There are some tables under the tall trees and a swimming area available. I saw a few woodpeckers and plenty of squirrels gathering food for the winter. Great place for all ages.

Beautiful trails among scenic bluffs and creek bed! We camped in the campground and enjoyed the…read morebeauty that surrounded us. Big Spring flows from the rocks near the camp ground and is a quick hike to visit. The only drawback was the bathrooms- vaulted toilets seem like an unnecessary inconvenience when there is running water in the sinks and showers. Overall, this is a great state park to visit!

My furry friend group chose this spot for our big annual camping trip! There were 86 of us total,…read moreand we utilized the Group Site that has several cabins available, plus a main cabin that serves as the place to gather and eat with a full kitchen and walk-in fridge. I really enjoyed the cozy feel to the cabins, which have wonderfully rustic wooden paneling and floors. Our cabin had two wings with four bunk beds each, plus a center room with a large bed (ideal, no doubt, for scouting purposes). The cabins are heated by thermostat and there are a few electrical outlets, but no other amenities that I was aware of. The main cabin had a large center fire pit that made the whole place wonderfully cozy. Also included are several long tables with benches to sit at, as well as additional chairs with backs to gather around the firepit. There are electrical outlets too. Flooring was a mix of wood and tile. There are also restrooms nearby, which include toilets, sinks, and showers. Separated by gender, male and female. The designated parking lot for the Group Site was able to accommodate around 40-45 cars, which served our purposes well. There is also a small roundabout that leads up to the main cabin for ease of unpacking/dropping off gear. All these amenities made the long-weekend very enjoyable! This isn't a huge park by any means, but even in the icy snow, I was able to enjoy a few of the trails while there. The alphabetical trail markings confused me a bit at first, but then I realized it was how the park was indicating "you are here" without customizing each sign. At the trailheads are large informational signs that give you the distance, difficulty, and features you'll see on said trail. The river that cuts through here is really gorgeous. It was partially frozen over during our visit, and we got some flurries while we were camping, which covered everything in a beautiful fresh coat of white powder. Got some great photos and great memories. I was a bit bummed that the Nature Store wasn't open (it's seasonal), because I am a sucker for souvenirs on sightseeing trips to parks and such.

Whitewater is a gorgeous park with some varied scenery. There are a lot of neat formations to check…read moreout such as the bluffs, forests, rivers, and more. There are some easy to more challenging hikes available. There are also a lot of nice amenities and a beach area.

Loved this park. Some short, moderate hikes to get a gorgeous view of the river. I do wish that the…read moretrails were a little better marked, however, It is worth visiting when heading down to Southern Minnesota. The driftless region is amazing. However, it was my second favorite park today. We headed into effigy national monument immediately after, and that was even more breathtaking. They are a great one-two punch if you're driving down from the Twin Cities.

This was a nice spot for a hike. There is a series of trails throughout the park. I did the King's…read moreBluff and North and South Overlooks. There is no shortage of beautiful views and there were plenty of spring wildflowers to make the walk even more stunning! Parking is available at the trailheads, there are some nice picnic spots, and the vault toilets were well kept.

As a previous campground host, this was THE # 1 place I recommended people check out while here…read more It's only a 5 minute drive up. It is SPECTACULAR. I cannot imagine why anyone would give it less than 5 stars. While there are only swings here ( marked down by a previous viewer for this reason) there is lots of grassy area for kids to run around far away from the cliffs. Be aware, there are no guardrails at the viewing point... so watch kiddos closely . Enjoy the views of the Minnesota bluffs across the water as you gaze upon the Mississippi river down below and the Alma dam to your right ! You might get lucky and see a barge coming through. There is a steep hiking trail @ the north end of 2nd St in Alma to start your way up. Otherwise, you drive up from the far South end of town. Well marked. Don't miss this "beautiful view"!

Buena vista park is nice little place with a terrific view of the Mississippi, the Alma lock and…read moredam and a lot of interesting scenery in between. There are some nice stair and benches, plus a restroom (that I did not go into, so no idea if it is a flush one or not) by the parking lot. Not any barriers between you and the bluff, but it isnt too bad as far as the fear factor. We had a nice little visit and the photo ops are GREAT!! It was an easy enough drive up to the park from Alma as well. Nice little place

Quarry Hill Nature Center has a nice assortment of picnic tables, trails, and local animals. It…read moreeven has a small nature center within. Tip: The signage here is sorely lacking, which is why I couldn't find the paved bike trail, and ended up totally on the wrong side of the park :-( Once I discovered that I was almost hopelessly lost, I wandered aimless in the woods for close to 40 minutes before I found a trail sign that set me back on the right path. Despite the major signage problems, this is a nice place - if you can figure out where to go....

A nice condensed forest experience. The nature center is adorable and educational. The forest…read moreitself is a fun place to wander. I even had two deer that ran by me. A bit more signage would have been helpful to figure out how to go up the hill versus around the hill. I just wandered on random treaded paths until I figured it out. I found a point where you could get a skyline view of Rochester downtown.

Nice trail, but unfortunately flooded due to the rain so could only see 0.2 miles of it.read more

Anyone who tackles this trail must be…read more.. A) A historic bridge enthusiast and fan of engineering design B) The second coming of Aldo Leopold C) Someone off their nut D) A&C E) B&C F) All of the above. Okay, seriously, this is a a fascinating area and quite a trail for nature lovers. Alexander McGilvray saw an opportunity in 1854 and launched a ferry across the Black River. In 1892, the county built a steel bridge across the river, ending the ferry service. Since McGilvray Road went through backwaters of the Black River and a slough, six wooden bridges were built. The moist environment wrecked wooden bridges quickly, so between 1905 and 1908, a series of five bowstring truss bridges were built with one wooden bridge left behind. The road was closed in 1948 due to flooding, and in 1954 the steel bridge was removed. The five bowstring truss bridges remain in place and a fifth pony truss bridge was relocated here to replace the wooden bridge. The maintenance of the old bridges is accomplished with volunteer labor, the Friends of McGilvray Road in partnership with the Wisconsin DNR. Bowstring trusses, one time plentiful, are now rare and only eight examples remain in Wisconsin - five of those eight are on McGilvray Road. As for the hiking, well, nature has pretty much consumed McGilvray Road, popularly known as Seven Bridges Road. It is a hiking trail, being slowly developed by the Friends of McGilvray Road. You can take the 1.8 mile hike to the Black River and experience a piece of La Crosse County history yourself. Dress appropriately and wear good hiking shoes.The day I visited McGilvray Road, I met a couple on the trail. He was wearing sandals. Not smart. She was wearing cross trainers, still not very smart. Both were wearing shorts - really not smart as the mosquitoes were matched in size and maneuverability to a P-38. No motorized vehicles, in fact, no vehicles at all, including no bicycles. As a hiking trail, two stars. As a great example of private and public sector cooperation, four stars, as an example of historic preservation, five stars. Net result - four stars. I'd go back - would you like to join me?

A smaller state park by acreage but still full of beauty. Over Memorial Day weekend there were…read morestill plenty of wildflowers even if the big boom of bluebells had passed. Parking lots are at the trailheads and the vault toilets were cleaned and well taken care of. Very pleasant!

A beautiful State Park in the state system with well marked hiking trails and absolute peace and…read morequiet. Enter on well maintained dirt roads and pick up a map at the self-serve kiosk as there is no headquarter building. The beauty of the trails is found along the north branch of the Whitewater River. There is a year round trail in an outer ring for snowshoeing. Expect primitive toilets and a water station. Plenty of camping lots and a large picnic area. There are some surprise picnic areas along the trail with views of the river.