Attractions and Places To See in Pepin County - Top 15

While consulting the komoot map during a road trip on the Great River Road Scenic Byway along the east side of the Mississippi River, I noticed a cluster of hilltop highlights nestled between the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. They were all komoot-generated highlights, and none included tips or photos. Intrigued to learn more about these highlights, we decided to visit four of them. Round Hill was the fourth highlight we chose to explore. Looking for a way to reach the Round Hill highlight, we followed Round Hill Road to the spot komoot indicated as the closest approach along a known route. Despite our efforts, we couldn’t find a trail from there that led to the summit of Round Hill. The Round Hill Komoot highlight is located on private property owned by the Round Hill Corporation, which also manages Camp Angelus, a Catholic camp at the base of the hill. On the satellite map, Round Hill appears completely covered in trees, making it unlikely that visitors would find a rewarding view from its summit. When I returned home, I was surprised to find the Round Hill highlight included among the highlights that komoot asked me to recommend. Although we did not actually hike to the highlight at the summit of Round Hill, I recommended it so I could include this tip for other komot users who might be interested in visiting it.

If you're searching for a trail to the komoot-generated trail Round Hill summit highlight, you'll come across Camp Angelus—a rustic Catholic campground and retreat center set on about 100 acres of wooded land along the Chippewa River. Founded by Father Michael O'Connell in 1948, the camp was designed as a place for young people to deepen their faith while enjoying the natural world. Father O'Connell, an avid outdoorsman and devoted priest, dedicated himself to creating a camp that combined traditional Catholic teachings with outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and campfire storytelling.

Taken from the plaque at the entrance of Little Plum Place: "Site of Little Plum Lutheran Church. In 1873, this church was established in Swedish settler homes. The church building was erected in 1879 and closed in 2017, after 144 years of worship and music. Artifacts were donated to the Durand Old Courthouse Museum. The school was built in 1866, rebuilt in 1899, and closed in 1947. The cemetery is managed by the town of Frankford and open for respectful visitation. "

When visiting Pepin, Wisconsin, the Pickle Factory Bar and Grill offers a slice of local history with your meal. Originally built on the shores of Lake Pepin in the early 1900s, it operated as the Pepin Pickling Company, producing various pickles and sauerkraut until the operation moved. Today, the building has been ransformed into a waterfront grill. Visitors can enjoy scenic views of Lake Pepin, famous as the birthplace of waterskiing. For a true taste of its past, be sure to try the house specialty: the famous fried pickles.

In 1686, French explorer Nicholas Perrot established Fort St. Antoine on the shores of Lake Pepin, an expansive stretch of the Mississippi River. Intended as a fortified trading post, the fort helped forge alliances and expand the French fur trade with the Dakota and other local tribes. On May 8, 1689, Perrot held a ceremony at the fort to formally claim the entire Upper Mississippi Valley for France. However, due to conflict in the region and the fort’s crude construction, it was abandoned around 1690. No physical trace of the fort remains today, but its location is commemorated by Wisconsin State Historical Marker 22 along the Great River Road, overlooking scenic Lake Pepin.

As Martha and I were driving the Great River Road Scenic Byway along the east side of the Mississippi River, I was intrigued by a cluster of komoot hilltop highlights nestled between the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. These were all highlights recommended by komoot, but none included tips or photos. The Ganoe Hill was the third highlight we decided to visit. We parked our car at the location komoot suggested on a dead-end road leading into a farmstead. A farmhouse occupied the hilltop itself with surrounding agricultural fields. Using the Gemini app, I learned these facts: Ganoe Hill is a summit in north-central Pepin County, Wisconsin, near Arkansaw, with an elevation of about 1,150 feet. It belongs to the Prairie du Chien Group of sandstone and dolostone, characteristic of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area. The hill is likely named after the Ganoe family, early settlers in the region. Ganoe Hill sits on private property with no public access or hiking trails; nearby public hiking spots include Maiden Rock Bluff and Tiffany Bottoms State Natural Area.

Stockholm Village Park, located on the shores of Lake Pepin in Stockholm, Wisconsin, offers scenic views, a 700-foot stone pier, and a small first-come, first-served campground with basic amenities. Visitors enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, and easy access to the village’s charming shops and cafes. It’s a popular spot for both recreation and local events, but be aware that train noise is common, and camp sites often fill up quickly during peak seasons.

As Martha and I drove along the Great River Road Scenic Byway on the east side of the Mississippi River, I became intrigued by a group of Komoot hilltop highlights nestled between the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers. Although all were recommended by Komoot, none featured tips or photos. Notch Hill was the second highlight we chose to visit. We parked our car where Komoot suggested—the closest spot to the hilltop as the crow flies, though there was no designated parking area, so we simply pulled off the road as far as possible. Fortunately, we found an all-terrain vehicle trail that led to the top. At the summit, we found several elevated deer hides. Trees surrounded us, mostly blocking the views of the valleys below. While I didn’t notice any “No Trespassing” signs during our hike, I later confirmed on my Gaia GPS app that the highlight was indeed on private land. I was unable to find any explanation for the hill’s name using Google’s Gemini AI app; however, I did learn that its elevation is 1,056 feet above sea level. Gemini also confirmed that the highlight is located on private property.