Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

Visit Bluff Country

View Bluff Country from the back of a horse

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By Charlene Corson Selbee

Splash and dash in the Yellow River State Forest.
Photo by Lana Dahlstrom
The bluff country of NE Iowa, SE Minnesota, and SW Wisconsin offers miles of unspoiled scenic beauty to make your horseback riding trip memorable, fun, and challenging.
Riders will find trails that offer water obstacles, woods, flatlands, hills, bluffs, rocks/gravel, scenic overlooks, challenges, and unknowns. Some trails are suitable for beginners to advance riders.

Need some gear? Deb Thompson, the owner of Hoffmann Stables located outside of Preston, Minn., on Highway 52, explained that they do not have any trails or rent horses. But, Thompson stressed, “We carry all the equipment needed for horses and riders.” Hoffmann Stables is the first stop before riders head to the Forestville Mystery Cave State Park.

Forestville Mystery Cave State Park is a short 7.7-mile drive from Preston and is open for horseback riding from May to October. A trail pass is required to use the trails and is available online at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website dnr.state.mn.us or at the park.

Now, this is the way to ride a horse, as seen with Becca Erding at Forestville State Park.
Photo by Edna Jacobson
Forestville has 55 horse campsites, with 23 of the sites having electricity. Riders can make reservations online at the DNR website.

There are 17 miles of horse trails in the park. This park is unique from other parks because riders and their horses can stroll through the main street in Historic Forestville, a living history museum. Matt Eidem, Historic Forestville site manager, shared, “The horses really add to the atmosphere at Historic Forestville and really looks like a lot of fun for the folks who are coming through.”

Outback Ranch is located southwest of Houston, Minn., in the Yucatan Valley at the base of the wooded hills. Owner Holly Wieser mentioned that they do not rent horses. She explained that the ranch owns 260 acres with 40 miles of private trails. Wieser shared, “Our visitors like riding here because there is a variety of trails – woods, overlook, grass, rocky, and sandy. Riders like that we have individual pastures.”

This is Bluff Country, Outback Ranch, Houston, Minn.
Photo submitted

There are camping spots with electrical, cabins, bunkhouses, and primitive camping, as well as tent camping at the ranch.

Deneen Nagel and others enjoy a little horse play in Forestville.
Photo by Edna Jacobson
One of many online testimonies. “I belong to a group of about 120 trail riders form SE Minnesota. We get together every Wednesday for a day ride somewhere in the area from Red Wing to the Iowa border. They look forward to the ride here on the Outback trails and the Wet State Forest. The trail system has whatever challenge you want, from easy flat riding to challenging terrain. The views are spectacular!” – Dennis Eich.

Outback Ranch connects to the Wet Bark Recreation Area. There are 11 miles of horseback riding trails. The trails go through the woods, have scenic overlooks, rolling to steep trails, and grassy to rocky trails. Riders should note that there are no water crossings, so there is no place to water the horses while on the trail. There are five primitive campsites in the campgrounds. It is recommended that horses be in good condition!

The horse trailer parking area at Wet Bark Recreation Area has picket lines and a small corral. Portable corrals are allowed in the parking area. A trail pass is required.

Riding the 10-mile Sawmill Trail on the lush outskirts of Spring Grove.
Photo by Lori Stoen
A well-kept secret is the Sawmill Trail, located on the east side of Spring Grove. The trailhead is located behind the Farmer’s Coop Elevator on the south side of Highway 44. There is no campground, but overnight camping and parking are allowed on the grassy knoll. There are no porta potties or water, just a fire ring, and new highlines.

The 10-mile Sawmill Trail is an easy trail that crosses all private land. The trailhead overlooks the picturesque valley and meanders through wooded areas crossing Highway 27 and 16 and the sawmill, which the trail is named after. Spring Grove resident and rider Lori Stoen explained, “There is very little rock, so shoes are not necessary unless your horse has sensitive feet.”

La Riviere Park, a 300-acre nature park near Prairie du Chien, Wis., is touted as one of the region’s largest horse camps. The park has a six-acre camp with 80 campsites with water and electrical hookups. The campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Camping is free. Donations are accepted.

Dr. Bryce Niemeyer, Chosen Valley Veterinary Clinic, gives a talk to riders on trail emergency, at Historic Forestville.
Photo by Heather Hill

There are six miles of horse trails in the park with access to additional trails off the park on private property. Riders experience the many wonders of nature as the trails take them through the woods to open fields and many hills and valleys. Some trails are not marked, and several can be challenging to the inexperienced rider.

The 10-mile Sawmill Trail on the outskirts of Spring Grove is an enjoyable ride.
Photo by Lori Stoen
The 8,500-acre Yellow River Forest near Harpers Ferry, Iowa, offers 38 miles of equestrian trails that weave in and out through oak-hickory woods home to wild turkeys, deer, Cooper’s hawks, and woodchucks. Several scenic overlooks in the Paint Creek Unit are accessible by horseback. In addition, there are two large primitive campsites at Little Paint Creek Unit.

“Happy trails to you, until we meet again.” – Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

Real Bites

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Stellar 181 Taphouse serves up a delicious steak accompanied by seasoned potatoes and an asparagus worthy of a trip to Spring Valley, Minn. Photo by Amanda Sethre

Stellar 181 Taphouse

There’s something pretty special happening in downtown Spring Valley, Minn.

Stellar 181 Taphouse.  But that’s not all.

This has been years in the making.  It started with a hair salon and spa, then a clothing boutique, then a dessert and cake specialty store… and then a restaurant.

Chateau de Chic Salon & Spa, Chic by Chateau, Some Like It Hot, and Stellar 181 Taphouse.  They all have one common thread.

A line-up of businesses have evolved with the entrepreneurial spirit of a family that knows the formula for success.  They know style, presentation, ambiance, quality, and service.

And, our family and business have appreciated working with each of these four businesses.  My wife has had her hair done at the salon.  My wife loves the clothing line at the boutique.  We’ve ordered birthday cakes and a retirement cake for one of our employees at Some Like It Hot.  And we recently dined at Stellar 181 Taphouse, owned and operated by Alex and Jenn Slifka.

They didn’t disappoint.

First, we ordered nachos for the family, and there was a battle for the finale.  Delish.

My wife had the Philly steak and cheese, and I was envious (I’ll be back for that one, too).

And, then my steak arrived.  I always order my steaks medium rare.  Let me just say, “Incredible!”  One of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time, along with a side of potatoes and asparagus.  While the steak was perfect, the way the asparagus was prepared caught our attention.  My wife, son and myself all enjoyed the asparagus.  The head chef happened to come out of the kitchen and we asked him what made his asparagus so tasty.  He told us his secret.  I won’t share it here, but you can ask him when you are dining at Stellar 181 Taphouse.

We also tried their specialty drinks and beers.  Top-notch to go along with their food.

This place falls nothing short of stellar.  Highly recommended.

Green Mountain Grill winner in September

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Nikki Augedahl, of Caledonia, Minn., stood with her Green Mountain Grill she won in a recent contest sponsored by Visit Bluff Country Magazine.

On September 30, 2021, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the fifth prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new Green Mountain Grill. As the magazine celebrates 36 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they conducted prize giveaways each month from May through September. Prizes included kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

  • Alicia Minnis, of Pine Island, Minn., won the Grizzly Cooler 40 prize giveaway drawing of the summer on August 31, 2021.
  • Sarah Stensgard, of Rushford, Minn., won the third kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on July 31, 2021.
  • Garret Ashton, of Rochester, Minn., won the second kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on June 30, 2021.
  • Trista Rowland, of Chatfield, Minn., won the first kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on May 31, 2021.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining and shopping, check out the magazine in print or on this website.

Over the summer months, Visit Bluff Country Magazine gave away over $4,000 in gift cards and prizes with three different contests.

The Brewery, Distillery & Winery Contest ran on the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Facebook page. This contest included a weekly $25 gift card giveaway for 12 consecutive weeks.

Grizzly Cooler winner in August

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VBC August Winner
Photo by Jason Sethre

Alicia Minnis, of Pine Island, Minn., stood with her brand new Grizzly Cooler 40 she won in a recent contest sponsored by Visit Bluff Country Magazine.

On August 31, 2021, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the fourth prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new Grizzly Cooler. As the magazine celebrates 36 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be conducting prize giveaways each month from May through September. Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Sarah Stensgard, of Rushford, Minn., won the third kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on July 31, 2021.

Garret Ashton, of Rochester, Minn., won the second kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on June 30, 2021.

Trista Rowland, of Chatfield, Minn., won the first kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on May 31, 2021.

The next drawing for a brand new Green Mountain Grill will be on September 30, 2021. Please to go www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter this drawing.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

Over the summer months, Visit Bluff Country Magazine will giveaway over $4,000 in gift cards and prizes with three different contests.

The Brewery, Distillery & Winery Contest runs on the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Facebook page.  This contest will include a weekly $25 gift card giveaway for 12 consecutive weeks.

Real Bites – Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery

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Caramel Macchiato Cake was the dessert of choice at Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery in Spring Valley, Minn. A wise person once said, “Always save room for dessert.”
Photo by Jason Sethre

This past weekend, a collection of relatives gathered at Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery, just outside of Spring Valley, Minn.
We celebrated Randy Reiter’s 50th birthday, a little earlier than usual, because the weather was perfect. This is my wife’s brother.
We selected Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery because we’ve all agreed that they serve one of the best wood-fired pizzas this side of the Mississippi River.
Our families enjoyed two pizzas on this beautiful Saturday: pepperoni and corn on the cob, and prosciutto and asparagus. It was a tough call on which one was the best. With either choice, we didn’t have much left over for the ride home.
Of course, Four Daughters is known for their award-winning wines, which is what gets us in the door. But, their desserts truly take the cake.
It’s best to always save room for dessert, right?!
Caramel Macchiato Cake. The menu describes it as follows, “Layers of caramel ice cream, Four Daughters Pinot Noir chocolate cake, espresso gelato, and our kitchen’s special toffee. All topped with house-made salted caramel, fudge, and whipped cream.”
It was a team effort. Collectively, it can take five or six people to eat this one gigantic mountain of deliciousness.
Highly recommended.
It was a perfect day to sit outside and watch the wedding-goers prepare for the main event between the vines.
Four Daughters hosts quite a number of weddings year-round. They have an incredible facility with the backdrop of a picture-perfect six acre vineyard that offers a priceless view.
For fans of the winery, they also offer a subscription-based wine club membership opportunity. With that program, subscribers can either pick up the quarterly wine packages at Four Daughters, or have them delivered to their home.
Blue skies, wine, pizza, dessert, and conversation with family made for a wonderful day full of memorie.
Owners Gary and Vicky Vogt, along with their four daughters, provide the right combination of food, service, and ambiance.
It’s all about creating memorable experiences.

Third kayak winner of the summer 2021

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Visit Bluff Country third Kayak Winner
Photo by Jason Sethre
Sarah Stensgard, of Rushford, Minn., stood next to her brand new kayak he won in a recent contest.

On July 31, 2021, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the third prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new kayak. As the magazine celebrates 36 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be conducting prize giveaways each month from May through September. Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Garret Ashton, of Rochester, Minn., won the second kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on June 30, 2021.

Trista Rowland, of Chatfield, Minn., won the first kayak prize giveaway drawing of the summer on May 31, 2021.

The next drawing for a brand new Grizzly Cooler will be on August 31, 2021. Please to go www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter this drawing.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

Over the summer months, Visit Bluff Country Magazine will giveaway over $4,000 in gift cards and prizes with three different contests.

The Brewery, Distillery & Winery Contest runs on the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Facebook page.  This contest will include a weekly $25 gift card giveaway for 12 consecutive weeks.

Every Friday, Visit Bluff Country Magazine will giveaway $100 in gift cards with the Choose Your Adventure Contest, accessible at www.visitbluffcountry.com/adventure.