LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON and the sun lights and shadows La Crosse. High above this Wisconsin city just across the Mississippi River from Minnesota, I am aiming my camera toward the valley below. With a bit of trepidation. Even though I am securely fenced atop the nearly 600-foot high Grandad Bluff, I am still unnerved by the height.
Yet, after awhile, I grow comfortable enough to edge to the railing and fire off shots of the scene below. Houses and colleges. Gridded streets. Water and sky and backdrop of bluffs. Trees, oh, the trees. With a view like this, it is not surprising that some 100,000 visitors come to Grandad Bluff annually.
Despite the cold and fierce wind, admirers of autumn, like me, have driven to this bluff park to appreciate the valley view. It is not an ideal time of day to shoot photos here, looking to the west in the late afternoon. But I manage.
Year after year after year, autumn still grabs my heart unlike any other season in the Midwest. Memories of riding in the family car along the gravel roads of the Minnesota River Valley from near Granite Falls east to Morton each fall remain a vivid visual from decades ago. But not until my daughters aimed east for college, one to the Mississippi River town of Winona and the other to La Crosse, did I discover the rugged river valley beauty of this region. This pocket corner of southeastern Minnesota and into Wisconsin is now a favorite to tour as the leaves change color. Anywhere along and near U.S. Highway 61 really.
Oftentimes I reflect on how fortunate I am to live in a state like Minnesota with such a diverse terrain of prairie and rolling hills, river bluffs, woods and lakes and rivers. So much packed into our state and neighboring Wisconsin.
In this final month before winter grips the land, I savor scenes like that which unfolded before me Friday afternoon high atop Grandad Bluff. Soon enough trees will stand naked in the valley. Waterways will ice over. And images of this October day will remain in a computer photo file labeled La Crosse, and in the memory bank of my mind.
BONUS PHOTOS:
This sculpture, installed in September, honors La Crosse resident Ellen Hixon. She saved this bluff from developers. The bluff area became a park in 1912.
FYI: Check back for more stories from La Crosse.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
You can sure tell it is harvest time for the haze of corn dust.
Duh. I never thought of that, that the harvest would contribute to the haze. But I expect you are right. It was a super windy day, too.
Great views. I’ve never been to this overlook. Another wonderful overlook on the WI side of the Mississippi is in Alma – Buena Vista Park. Further down river from Alma and just North of La Cresent, Great River Bluffs State Park is great MN State park with grand views of the river valley as well.
Thanks for those tips. I believe I’ve been to both.
Destination in our ever-changing world are worth revisiting 🙂
So true.
“She saved this bluff from developers”
O how I love that Ms. Hixon was memorialized & thus known by visitors for such a generous deed.
Yes, to think that this bluff could have been destroyed if not for Ellen Hixon.
Beautiful Captures 🙂 Brings back memories of exploring with my family growing up as well as my adult years in MN. Happy Day – Enjoy!
Always happy to bring back memories for you, Renee.
Nice! I’ve heard of Grandad Bluff but never been there. Putting that one on the list.
Have you explored La Crosse? You need to do so. Love the downtown.
Wow what beautiful photos.
Thank you. Just photographing God’s beautiful creation.
Even back in 1912 people had to fight off overly aggressive developers.
I had the same thought.
Yes this is such a beautiful area in the fall, I have never personally been to this lookout but have been to Garvin lookout in Winona. I need to check out this one sometime. Thanks for sharing this beautiful fall with us!
You are welcome. I’ve also been to Garvin in Winona. Love that city, too.
Those who live in the area call their little spot of the world “God’s Country”. Many family members from Lacrosse/LaCrescent. My dad and stepmother worked hard to maintain a little park on the bluff above LaCrescent. Now I wonder if it has been made into the state park noted in the previous comment. I’ll have to check!
Kudos to your family members who worked to preserve part of this beautiful region. Next trip to that area, we will have to explore LaCrescent. We ran out of time this trip.
What a lovely place and I am glad you overcame your trepidation so that we could all enjoy these views. Chris and I are going hiking tomorrow so hopefully we will have some great views of our own to share.
Have a great hike. I look forward to seeing your photos.
Too busy yesterday to read much of anything on the blogs!!! Playing quick ‘catch-up’ with yours. Glad to see you were brave enough to venture up the hill (our’s and Granddad’s)!!!!!!!
I’ve been to Grandad’s before, but never along your steep road. You live in a stunningly beautiful part of Minnesota. But, of course, you know that. Thanks for having us for lunch. Randy and I loved our time with you and Tom.
There’s times when the town of Houston/valley is filled with fog/clouds and the view, as you are just below the top of the ridge, looks like you could just walk across on white fluff!!!!! So cool!!!!!
That would be cool.
Beautiful area n fall colors are gorgeous. You captured them both well. Earlier this week a TV station was showing parts of Wisconsin and the beautiful fall colors. I too always love the fall season; I have many fond memories of raking and falling into pikes of leaves with my Dad. Plus going to pick out the perfect pumpkin, what a treat that was.
What wonderful memories. I remember building leaf houses by dropping leaves into rows to form rooms in “houses.” That’s my fondest childhood leaf memory.
Oh how neat…hadn’t thought of doing that. We’d try to rake the leaves as high as we could get them. We’d even rake the neighbor’s yard..just to get more leaves. In the end, we’d either burn them or place under trees in yard. Fun times.
I don’t really recall jumping in leaf piles, only building those leaf houses. We have lots of leaves in our yard. Only one tree. But leaves from the entire neighborhood fall and blow into our yard.
Audrey, great vista views your lens captured-and looks like a lot of others thought it a perfect day to seek out autumn colors. yes we are lucky in Minnesota with the change of seasons.
Thank you, Sue.