Perrot State Park
Brady's Bluff and Perrot Ridge

This hike rewards with every step. From the moment you leave the parking lot the view encompasses greater and greater lengths of the Mississippi valley. The view from the top of Brady's bluff is spectacular - barges ferrying cargo up and down the river, bluffs rising to the sky across the river, glints of light sparkling on the blue water far below.

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Next is a short traverse of tilted tree ringed meadow, soft filtered light touching the gold and yellow grass, and then an abrupt climb back to the heights of Perrot Ridge where again the world opens up below.

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Of all the hikes along the Mississippi, this one may be the best.

Approach

From the junction of 1st and Main streets near the Trempealeau Hotel in Trempealeau Wisconsin, head west along the river 1.9 miles to the trailhead parking lot on your left. Just before you reach the parking lot, you will pass an entrance station where you will need to pay a fee to enter the park.

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Coordinates for the hike: 44.0157360,-91.4758580

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Parking / Trailhead amenities

The paved parking lot is level and has room for about 16 cars. There is a clean pit toilet adjacent to the parking lot.

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Trail observations

The trail starts across the road from the parking lot. Almost immediately the trail branches. Head left to climb Brady's bluff.

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At the top, the trail heads down the back of the bluff then traverses a meadow and ascends Perrot Ridge, a narrow exposed sandstone ridge with a different set of incredible views.

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Trail statistics

The trail is 3.91 miles long. The sum of all the uphill climbs is 398 feet.

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Trail waypoints

0.00 mi	Parking	Parking Lot
0.04 mi	Trailhead	Trailhead
0.08 mi	Go left	Branch - go left towards Brady's Bluff
0.36 mi	Bench
0.61 mi	Bench
0.94 mi	Right along shelter	Branch - go right along the shelter
1.33 mi	Stay left	Branch - stay left
1.52 mi	Go right	Branch - go right (map)
1.67 mi	Stay left	Branch - stay left
1.91 mi	Stay left	Stay left to go straight (bench, map)
2.09 mi	Climb steps	Branch - go left up the steps
2.23 mi	Bench
2.63 mi	Stay left	Branch - stay left
3.04 mi	Go straight	Intersection - go straight (map, bench)
3.68 mi	Diagonal right	Cross to the trail on the right of the parking lot
3.77 mi	Go right	Branch - go right along Perrot Ridge Trail
3.91 mi	End of trail	End of trail