A pilgrimage to connect with your ancestorsMay 10, 2022-By Charlene Corson Selbee Traditionally, pilgrimages are thought of as a journey to a sacred place in a foreign county searching for a higher good that leads to a life-altering experience. Family genealogists go on pilgrimages to learn or expand their knowledge about their roots which leads to personal transformations. Visitors come to the Bluff… Read More
The year to hike Scenic Bluff CountryMay 10, 2022-By Charlene Corson Selbee It is not difficult to find a hiking trail in picturesque Bluff Country, as many communities proudly claim at least one hiking trail. Bluff Country terrain offers trails for all ages and skill levels. The landscape includes miles of rolling hills, scenic overlooks, woods, rivers, rocky bluffs, farms, charming towns, wildlife,… Read More
Caves, underground streams, waterfalls, and sinkholesMay 10, 2022-By Charlene Corson Selbee This is the year to explore the karst topography both above and below ground in the driftless region. Years 2021 and 2022 are celebrated as the International Year of Caves and Karst. “The 24,000 square miles of the driftless area is almost the size of Iowa and Wisconsin and encompasses four… Read More
View Bluff Country from the back of a horseMay 10, 2022-By Charlene Corson Selbee 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… Read More
Noticing MoreMay 20, 2021-By Wanda Hanson Kristi Danielson-Vreeman notices more and sees more than she used to — not because of glasses or surgery — but because she’s a photographer! Small details that might have previously gone unnoticed now become subjects of her photographs; close-ups of spiderwebs become crystal creations. Kristi’s dad bought her a 110 flash camera… Read More
Cruisin’ through Bluff Country in a classicMay 20, 2021-By Jason Sethre There are quite a few famous songs about road trips that speak to American’s love affair with automobiles. They are not just a mode of transportations. They represent freedom. Willie Nelson sang, “On the road again... Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway... We’re the best of friends... Insisting… Read More
When staycations became the most popular vacationsMay 20, 2021-By Jason Sethre When the pandemic brought everything to a screeching halt in March of 2020, the world was full of uncertainty in every direction. After the lockdown restrictions loosened up in Minnesota, our family had to figure out what we were going to do about the trip we had planned to fly to Florida… Read More
Three days and 40 miles on the Root RiverMarch 26, 2021-When travelers residing in Southeast Minnesota or Northeast Iowa want to go on an adventure, they don’t have to travel far. Within Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Region), one element of nature brings so many communities together. The Root River. Throughout the summer months, locals and tourists will navigate the waterways with canoes, kayaks,… Read More