Mississippi river trip

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ctbarbarian
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Mississippi river trip

#1 Post by ctbarbarian » Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:31 pm

In June, planning on taking the pontoon from Prescott Wi to Clinton Iowa.

Any suggestions on nice marina's, campgrounds or must eat restaurants in.
Red Wing
Winona
LaCrosse
Prairie Du Chien
Dubuque

I'd like to camp but the wife might like a hotel a few nights.
Thanks

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Discovery
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#2 Post by Discovery » Sun May 15, 2016 2:21 pm

Do it and tell us stories. Can't tell you anything personally regarding your goal but I think this maybe some interesting reading.

http://egyptian.net/~raymacke/

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Re: Mississippi river trip

#3 Post by ralph » Sun May 15, 2016 2:25 pm

Can't help much but some years back while in Dubuque visiting John Deere, there is/was a restaurant overlooking a lock and dam that had pretty good food. Beautiful restaurant and view overlooking the river. Wish I could remember the name. Perhaps someone here knows what it is.
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RcgTexas
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#4 Post by RcgTexas » Sun May 15, 2016 7:06 pm

Due to my job I was never able to stop anywhere but barge fleets but I did see several nice spots for overnight camping on some really nice sand bars in those areas.

Some real nice ones just below Lacrosse. Even in hot summer evenings were cool and comfortable.

Good trip and keep the big boys in mind always, they have a tuff job navigating the channels on that river 24/7, They Sometimes cant watch out for small craft.
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ctbarbarian
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#5 Post by ctbarbarian » Mon May 16, 2016 2:25 pm

Bought a 2016 Quimby's cruising guide
very helpful.
So far
Red Wing Island Camping and Marina

Winona Winona Marina

La Crosse, Best Western hotel on the river (they take dogs)

still researching Prairie Du Chien and Dubuque

any comments or suggestions?

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Re: Mississippi river trip

#6 Post by Goudax3 » Wed May 25, 2016 5:52 am

There is a campground/marina in Hager city, across from Red Wing. Called Island campground. There a restaurant within a short walk as well. We stayed there with our RV and enjoyed it. This sounds like a great adventure, keep us updated. FYI there are campgrounds on the water in Winona and Lacrosse. I researched them a few years ago when we were still RVing, never actually went. Good luck.
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Kramfam
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#7 Post by Kramfam » Wed May 25, 2016 6:19 am

There is a small park about 40 minutes south of Lacrosse that has some campsites and a small marina (Blackhawk). I used to boat there all of the time years ago. It's small, but nice and right on the river. Frankly, there's not a lot of places to stay except for in the "major" cities from Lacrosse on south to Dubuque.

http://www.vernoncounty.org/parks/BH.htm
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ctbarbarian
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#8 Post by ctbarbarian » Wed May 25, 2016 1:53 pm

Trip is set
Put in at Prescott Wisconsin 22 miles

Red Wing Island camp ground 65 miles ( camping)

Winona, Winona Marina 28 miles ( camping)

Lacrosse, Best Western hotel 62 miles hotel and they take dogs

Prarie Du Chien Winnishiek marina and Sportsman Unlimited campground 56 miles cabin

Dubuque Ice harbor marina and staying at In laws home 61 miles house

Clinton, Iowa


11 locks, 300 miles in 6 days
Hope for good weather and no wind getting across Lake Pepin

Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher

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Re: Mississippi river trip

#9 Post by margaritaman » Wed May 25, 2016 8:13 pm

Fair winds on your back, sounds like fun. :)
Cruising the salt waters of East Florida.

ctbarbarian
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#10 Post by ctbarbarian » Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:40 am

Great trip, good weather and lock times took less than 20 minutes except for once when we
got behind a barge and had to wait for 1.5 hours.
Put in at Prescott Wi, ramp charges $16 just to put your boat in.

1st night Island campground in Hager city, very nice, camped, tiki bar right next door, good food and Margarittas.

2nd night Prairie Island campground in Winona, up a slough about a mile and not marked well
nice campground but no food, no problem Rocco's delivers excellent pizza

3rd night Best Western in Lacrosse, very nice hotel, pool, hot tub, nice restaurant, free breakfast
and they take dogs


4th night Winnesheik marina in Praire du chien, up a slough about 2 miles and not well marked, very disorganized
We had to get a waitress at the bar to pump gas and get us docked. The cabin at Sportsman unlimited campground
is very rustic,unique and overpriced ($150), and we had to walk and carry luggage .5 miles to get to it.


5th night Massey Marina about 6 miles south of Dubuque, nice spot with a good campground and a bar .

total gas money spent $150, average speed 12 mph

If I had another week off this summer, I'd do it again.
very relaxing trip.

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Re: Mississippi river trip

#11 Post by curtiscapk » Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:22 am

Great update! Glad you had a good time :nana
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ctbarbarian
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#12 Post by ctbarbarian » Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:54 am

Already thinking about the Huck Finn trip 2017.

Anybody know any places up the St Croix to put in at.

I think I'd like to start up the St Croix to make the trip a little longer.

Also anybody know campgrounds on the river around Prairie Du Chien?

The Mississippi makes such a nice water traveling adventure.

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Discovery
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#13 Post by Discovery » Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:52 pm

Goal set and done. Congrats to you. Got the transient bug now? There is so much water out there to explore.

ctbarbarian
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Re: Mississippi river trip

#14 Post by ctbarbarian » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:42 am

Thinking about the next leg of the Huck Finn trip

Quad cities to St Louis to the Ohio River to Tenn Tom

down to Mobile.

Anybody try this trip or parts of it?

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Re: Mississippi river trip

#15 Post by abypfcs » Tue Aug 16, 2016 10:05 pm

ralph wrote:Can't help much but some years back while in Dubuque visiting John Deere, there is/was a restaurant overlooking a lock and dam that had pretty good food. Beautiful restaurant and view overlooking the river. Wish I could remember the name. Perhaps someone here knows what it is.
Sorry for the late reply, as I have been battling some health issues. I believe the restaurant you might be talking about is Timmerman's and on the Illinois side of the river.

Spent many weeks on our Summer vacation fishing in the Harpers Ferry Iowa area in the Mississippi backwaters. Beautiful country, particularly in the Fall when the leaves change colors on the bluffs.
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