Situated 450 feet above a sharp bend in the Misssissippi in the hilly far northeast corner of Iowa, this little gem of a park rewards those making the steep climb to the top with a breathtaking vista of a 25-mile expanse of the great river.
As you look out over the river (3 miles wide at this point), the southeastern corner of Minnesota is visible off to the left, while over on the Wisconsin side you can see all the way from Genoa in the north down past Ferryville to the south. Far below, the main channel winds its way among steep bluffs and countless wooded islands.
Chances are good you'll see a
towboat pushing a string of barges or, if you're really lucky, a
steamboat like the Mississippi Queen. Steamboats are being seen
more and more on the Upper Mississippi these days, which is fitting,
since Mt. Hosmer would have undoubtedly been called something else if
it weren't for the steamboat that stopped to pick up wood on a May
morning back in 1851.Aboard the Senatorthat day was a talented young sculptor named Harriet Hosmer. Fascinated by the beautiful scenery on this part of the Mississippi, Harriet asked the captain whether there'd be time for her to climb the high bluff in front of them.
When the captain agreed to wait for her, a clerk offered his services as an escort. Harriet challenged him to a race to the top. She won that race handily and ever since the bluff has been known as Mt. Hosmer.
If you want to see the same view today that Harriet did nearly 150 years ago, you won't have to participate in a footrace -- although the town does hold a "Harriet Hosmer Day" every May (including a walk/run celebrating "women who rise to the top").
Today you can reach the park by turning north off of Main Street onto 6th Street and following it up the hill. There are actually two lookouts in the park -- one at the top and one halfway up. Both provide spectacular vistas.
Mt. Hosmer also offers a playground, grills and a picnic shelter and makes a great place to stop for a picnic on a spring or summer day. You can walk to the top any time of year, but because of the steep climb, the park is closed to automobile traffic during the winter months.
If You Go
The Allamakee County Tourism and Economic Development (1-800-824-1424) can provide you with a free brochure about things to do in the area. Or you can check the website at www.visitiowa.org and learn more about the many attractions in this scenic northeast corner of Iowa.
More to See
Along the river just south of Lansing you can rent everything from a rowboat to a houseboat. The river's so wide at this point that you could spend weeks exploring the islands and backwaters. If you're in town around dinnertime, Clancy's (just off the river on Main Street) is a fine place for a meal. More adventurous diners might want to cross the Mississippi into Wisconsin (the bridge is a block north of downtown Lansing), turn left and make the beautiful 10-mile drive north to the little settlement of Victory. The Victory Haus there offers tasty and authentic German meals in a cottage-like atmosphere. Or, if you'd like to experience the Mississippi the way Harriet Hosmer did, The Great RIver Steamboat Company in La Crosse (1-800-815-1005 or on the internet at www.juliabelle.com) offers dinner and overnight cruises from June through October on the Julia Belle Swain,a faithful replica of the type of riverboat operating on the Upper Mississippi two centuries ago.
