Explore Nelson, Wisconsin
Nelson, Wisconsin sits at the base of two twin bluffs and was settled in the late 1840’s as Nelson Landing. Wildlife and birds abound within the many state wildlife areas that surround Nelson. Follow the Dike Road (Wisconsin State Highway 25) to Minnesota and the Mississippi River bridge, where you’ll find great fishing all year & paddling in the Mississippi backwaters. Nelson-Trevino Bottoms National Canoe Trail is accessed from the Dike Road.
Historic Nelson Creamery is no longer an operational cheese factory, but is a very popular stop for ice cream. They offer a great selection of cheese, wines & lots of goodies for a picnic!
Pizza on the Farm is an excuse to drive the back roads to The Stone Barn.
Natural Areas surround Nelson and include Tiffany State Natural Area & Nelson-Trevino Bottoms State Natural Area. The Dike Road travels through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge. The 161 acre Nature Conservancy Addition to the Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area is designated by the Wisconsin Historical Society as an important archaeological site once used by Native Americans.
Hike the Nature Conservancy’s 161-acre property or Thrive! Park’s 25+ acre bluff side, public park. Offering hiking, birding, great views, bluffs, valleys and the Mississippi River.
Driftless Area
This is the "Driftless Area" of Buffalo County and Western Wisconsin
In this 24,000 square mile region, the land surface avoided glacial advances that crossed North America. For this reason, western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa together are known as the Driftless Area. Drift is a mixture of rocks and gravel, boulders and residue normally left behind by retreating glaciers.
Whether you are traveling the back roads of Buffalo County or paddling on the Mississippi River you’re seduced by the natural beauty of the Driftless Area.
Enjoy the terrain as it constantly shifts in shape. Look out over the Upper Mississippi River Valley from a bluff top. Travel through farm country and reach a ridge top where you plunge down into a valley and over a cool running trout stream or river. The paved County Roads are a true treasure and allow you to reach deep into Buffalo County.
As rivers and streams approach their confluence with the Mississippi, their canyons grow progressively steeper and deeper. The Mississippi River trench is one of the few places in the Driftless Area where the bedrock is very deep below the surface and often matches the height of the surrounding riverfront bluffs.