Trails

Pine Creek Dike at Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge

Hiking Trails

Lower Diversion Dike

Open Season: Year round

Length: 2 miles, one way

Location of trail: East border of the refuge

Surface Hard-crushed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail borders the refuge and is a great opportunity to view water birds and other wildlife. It takes the visitor to the base of Trempealeau Mountain, which is closed to the public so it ends at that point. 

Kieps Dike

Open Season: Year round

Length: 0.7 miles, one way

Location of trail: Trailhead located at the Keips Island Boat Landing

Surface Hard-packed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail is one way in and out and is a dike that takes you through the forest on the island and opens up to have water on both sides. It is great for bird watching and views of Trempealeau Mountain. There is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.

Delta Road

Open Season: Year round

Length: 2 miles

Location of trail: Located off the Marshland Road

Surface Hard-packed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: Delta Road is a dike that leads you into the middle of the refuge and ends at Delta Point. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.

Marshland Road

Open Season: Year round

Length: 1.2 miles

Location of trail: Trailhead starts at the Marshland Access Parking Area located off Hwy 35/54.

Surface Hard-packed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This is a bi-level dike road that is flat and can be used as an alternative entrance to the refuge during times of flooding, but is otherwise closed to vehicle traffic. It is also part of the Great River Bike Trail.

Woods Nature Trail

Open Season: Year round

Length: 0.5 miles

Location of trail: Trailhead is located next to visitor contact station.

Surface: Dirt and gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail is one of the best places to view warblers during the spring and fall migration.

Pine Creek Dike

Open Season: Year round

Length: 0.5 miles one way

Location of trail: Trailhead is located next to visitor contact station.

Surface Dirt and gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail will take you through the woods and past a wetland as you head to the point of the dike where you will have water on either side of you. It’s a great place to see shorebirds, listen for frogs and catch sight of pelicans soaring overhead. 

Prairie View Loop 

Open Season: Year round

Length: 0.71 miles

Location of trail: Located on the west side of the auto tour loop

Surface Hard-packed gravel

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Information: This trail takes you through the rolling hills of the prairie where you can find beautiful prairie flowers blooming in the summer and watch for birds such as bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks. 

River Bottom Road

Open Season: Year round

Length: 1.2 miles

Location of trail: Located off of Hwy 35/54 East of Bluff Siding, Wisconsin

Surface Crushed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This is a dike road that is open for hiking and is a great place to observe wetland wildlife. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.

Oxbow Dike

Open Season: Year round

Length: 0.65 miles

Location of trail: Located off of Hwy 35/54 East of Bluff Siding, Wisconsin

Surface Crushed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This is a dike road that you can only get to from the River Bottom Road. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.

Snowshoe and Ski Trails - Seasonal and not groomed

Grand Tour

Open Season: Winter

Length: 3 miles

Location of trail: Refuge border

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Information: This trail follows the outer border of the refuge and can be moderate due it’s length and slight changes in elevation

Access Maintenance

Open Season: Winter

Length: 0.2 miles

Location of trail: Next to maintenance shope 

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This short trail is one access point to the other longer trails and is located on the west side of the maintenance shop parking lot.

Access Prairie

Open Season: Winter

Length: 0.4 miles

Location of trail: Parking area near the refuge entrance on the entrance road

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail begins at the parking area near the refuge entrance and is one of the access points for the other trails.

Access Marshland

Open Season: Winter

Length: 1.2 miles

Location of trail: Marshland Road

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail starts at the Marshland Access Parking Area located on Hwy 35/54 and is the back entrance to the refuge which will connect to the other trails as well.

Red Pines Run

Open Season: Winter

Length: 0.9 miles

Location of trail: Starts from the Access Maintenance Trail

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Information: This trail can only be accessed by other trails and is rated easy to moderate for slight elevation changes.

White-Tail Woods

Open Season: Winter

Length: 1.1 miles

Location of trail: Starts from the Access Maintenance Trail 

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Information: This trail can only be accessed by other trails and is rated easy to moderate for slight elevation changes.

Rolling Dunes Dash

Open Season: Winter

Length: 1.2 miles

Location of trail: Parking area of the Prairie View Trail

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Information: This trail begins at the parking are for the Prairie View Trail and is rated easy to moderate for slight elevation changes.

Pine Creek Pass

Open Season: Winter

Length: 0.5 miles

Location of trail: Starts at Parking area of the Prairie View Trail

Surface Snow packed

Difficulty: Easy

Information: This trail connects the White-tail Woods Trail to the northern portion of the Grand Tour Trail.

Bike Trail

Great River State Bike Trail

Open Season: Year round

Length: 2 to 6 miles

Location of trail: Trailhead starts at Marshland Access off Hwy 35/54

Surface Hard-packed gravel

Difficulty: Easy

Information: There is a section of the Great River State Trail that goes through the refuge. If you choose to ride straight through it is about two miles to the next parking area at the refuge entrance, but if you want to explore the refuge more there is a 4.5 mile option loop that takes you through the refuge and follows the auto tour route.

 

Delta Point Trail

Delta Road is a dike that leads you into the middle of the refuge and ends at Delta Point. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.
Trail Length (mi)
1.33
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
30 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Great River Trail

There is a section of the Great River State Trail that goes through the refuge. If you choose to ride straight through it is about two miles to the next parking area at the refuge entrance, but if you want to explore the refuge more there is a 4.5 mile option loop that takes you through the refuge and follows the auto tour route.

Open Season: Year round
Location of trail: Trailhead starts at Marshland Access off Hwy 35/54
Surface: Hard-packed gravel
Trail Length (mi)
0.50
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / intermediate
Moderate
Estimated Time
20 minutes
Route Type
Point to point
Suitability
Dog friendly
Kid friendly
View Trail

Kieps Island Dike Trail

This trail is one way in and out and is a dike that takes you through the forest on the island and opens up to have water on both sides. It is great for bird watching and views of Trempealeau Mountain. There is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking. The trailhead is located at the Keips Island boat landing.
Trail Length (mi)
1.19
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Lower Diversion Dike Trail

This trail borders the refuge and is a great opportunity to view water birds and other wildlife. It takes the visitor to the base of Trempealeau Mountain, which is closed to the public so it ends at that point.
Trail Length (mi)
2.04
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
1 hour
Trail Activities
View Trail

Oxbow Dike Trail

This is a dike road that you can only get to from the River Bottom Road. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.
Trail Length (mi)
0.65
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Pine Creek Dike Trail

This trail will take you through the woods and past a wetland as you head to the point of the dike where you will have water on either side of you. It’s a great place to see shorebirds, listen for frogs and catch sight of pelicans soaring overhead. The trailhead is located next to the visitor contact station.
Trail Length (mi)
0.51
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Pine Creek Pass Trail

This trail connects the White-tail Woods Trail to the northern portion of the Grand Tour Trail. The trail starts at the parking area of the Prairie View Trail
Trail Length (mi)
0.93
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
20 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Prairie View Trail

This trail takes you through the rolling hills of the prairie where you can find beautiful prairie flowers blooming in the summer and watch for birds such as bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks. This trail is located on the west side of the auto tour loop.
Trail Length (mi)
0.71
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
15 minutes
Route Type
Loop
Trail Activities
View Trail

River Bottoms Trail

This is a dike road that is open for hiking and is a great place to observe wetland wildlife. It is hard-packed gravel and there is no snow removal in the winter but is still open for hiking.
Trail Length (mi)
0.95
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
20 minutes
Trail Activities
View Trail

Woods Trail

This trail is one of the best places to view warblers during the spring and fall migration. The trailhead is located next to the visitor contact station.
Trail Length (mi)
0.48
Trail Difficulty
Difficulty Meter / introductory
Easy
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Route Type
Loop
Trail Activities
View Trail