Pacific Northwest by Midwest

One hundred and fifty years ago, when a Methodist pastor stumbled into
what became Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, he thought he’d found the
Garden of Eden. Dotted with apple trees and surrounded by lush green
bluffs, no other place, he argued, conformed so closely to the biblical
description of Eden. Even now, despite upstream polluters that have
wreaked havoc on Trempealeau’s stretch of the Mississippi, the town of
Trempealeau continues to offer a slice of Midwestern paradise.
Trempealeau’s distinctly easygoing character, along with a persistent
mist that hangs in the air, brings to mind many of those woodsy havens
found along the beautiful Pacific Northwest coast. Driving to
Trempealeau from any direction is a pleasure, pocketed, as it is,
within a cluster of rolling knolls and crags (typical in this part of
Wisconsin, especially along the river). Every which way, hills offer
panoramic views of farmland furrows and wooded wildlife preserves. A
road down the back end of one such hill deposits you into the town’s
modest commercial area, where two city blocks are lined with gift
shops, law offices, taverns, and lawns that are often overwhelmed by
the Mississippi. (In French, Trempealeau means “soaked in water”.)

Downtown’s centerpiece is the Trempealeau Hotel, a nineteenth-century
inn, restaurant, and saloon that has become a fashionable destination.
Dining rooms paneled in natural wood, wall-to-wall bay windows, and
Green Bay Packers paraphernalia set a laid-back tone. Couples gaze out
on the river as they nosh on kraut ’n’ cheese or walnut burgers—yes,
this rural restaurant serves a number of vegetarian dishes. In the bar,
which is darker and cozier than the dining areas, the walls are covered
with antlers, taxidermied fish, and autographed celebrity head shots.
Because the town’s population is just 1,600, most of whom make their
livings in nearby Winona or LaCrosse, the bar seems to service more
spandex-ed cyclists and city slickers than it does locals.

There is no doubt that during the warm seasons, the town draws a
far-flung, outdoorsy crowd. That’s because it’s surrounded by miles and
miles of gorgeous trails that trace the riverfront and wind around
mountainous bluffs. Off-road cyclists can cruise alongside prairies and
buffalo farms or take grueling, uphill treks. Trempealeau even
organizes a series of bike races, including the Catfish Days 50 Mile
Bike Race and Tour on July 9. Hikers are free to hopscotch
stone-studded footpaths in Perrot State Park or bird-watch in the
wetlands of Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation’s
best spots to see bald eagles.

For those who don’t feel like sweating, Trempealeau Hotel proprietor
Jim Jenkins offers another option. A blues and reggae aficionado,
Jenkins organizes a summer concert series that sends couples and
families alike out into the hotel’s grassy backyard, where they can
lounge before a rickety concert stage featuring regional bands.
—Christy DeSmith