Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge — Attraction in Town of Bloomington

The wildlife refuge extends hundreds of miles along the Mississippi River, and includes a diverse area which contains urban riverfront, sandbars, forested islands, and backwater sloughs.

Starting in the 1930s, dams were built which divided the river into lake-like pools. While done to enhance commercial riverboat traffic, it also created ideal conditions for pleasure-boaters, fishermen, waterfowl.

The Rock Island Arsenal is the home to Lock and Dam 15, which has viewing areas and displays on commercial river use and flood control.

The Quad City area, which includes Dsvenport, Iowa, has many bike paths and scenic roads which head north along the river. As you get north of the Quad Cities the river gets narrower and you begin to find more islands and sloughs. Many species of birds live or migrate along the river, including eagles, pelicans, geese, and many types of ducks.

About 20 minutes north of the Quad Cities, near Folletts, Iowa, the Clinton County operated Rock Creek Marina and Campground has kayaks, canoes, and other boats available for rental to explore some of the backwater sloughs. It also has a nice ecology center with displays of native wildlife, a small aquarium of native river fish, and eco-tours in a custom pontoon boat.

A little over an hour north of Davenport is the city of Dubuque, Iowa, which is home to the very large National Mississippi River Museum...

Love the Mississippi River, its valley & bluffs, and the National Wildlife & Fish Refuge. Like to get on any of its many locations, whether to relax and hang out, take wildlife or landscape photos, or canoe or kayak in backwaters -- which seem like a far-off, jungle-type world. Or even to hike. A trail is available between Marquette, Iowa, & Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, where the old highway bridge was located. It's an out-snd-back, not a loop... maybe totaling one-half to three-quarters mile. It goes to an observation deck on the river that includes seating. Recommend...

Did canoe camping from the wisconsin river to the boat launch. It is doable in a paddle propelled boat, but if you have the choice, morning is best followed by evening. Between noon and 4 I would definitely suggest life jackets simply for the waves from the boat traffic.

Camping wise there is not a lot of options between the wisconsin and the boat launches, but there are a few, as long as youre not looking for the huge space of...