There’s no place on earth quite like Driftless Wisconsin in the fall. The bluffs rising from the river gives autumn another dimension in which to paint. She does not waste a good canvas.
As the “color season” nears, we find ourselves peeking around the corner to see what comes next. Tips of trees are already turning yellow and orange, giving us a tantalizing glimpse of things to come.
I’m walking along a logging road that descends from the top of the bluff to a rock quarry. I notice what seem to be fluorescent flags marking the trail, which turn out to be yellow-tipped leaves illuminated by the setting sun. I follow these footlights to the overlook where the sun sinks into the Iowa bluffs. The season never ceases to amaze.
Fall is my favorite season; perhaps because this is the time of year my father put down his work and took up hunting. Excitement barely describes the feeling of walking into the woods on a crisp October morning.
The woods drops its guard along with its leaves and you get to know the land more intimately. With less to hide behind, deer betray their presence by the tattletale rustle of spent leaves. Of course, you need to learn the difference in sound between the rhythmic march of a deer and the chaotic romp of a squirrel. Many a heart-thumping encounter ended with a squirrel staring at me bug-eyed from a tree branch.
Or perhaps it’s my favorite season because the hurried pace of summer slows to a trot. The wind, no longer driven by summer’s heat, calms to a slow breeze. A walk in the woods after a rain allows you to hear your own breath. Or hear the sudden shriek of a blue jay announcing your presence.
Of course you needn’t climb our hill to enjoy the Driftless Wisconsin colors. Major parks are within a short drive from anywhere in Driftless Wisconsin. And on the way you’ll enjoy the kaleidoscope of colors along secluded back roads that turn a lazy afternoon into an adventure.
After sunset, I descend from the bluff top into the steep arms of my valley. No place on earth feels more welcoming.