- Exploring the hidden gems of Western Wisconsin—curating unforgettable stays and sharing the places locals love most.
Prescott sits right where the St. Croix meets the Mississippi, and because town faces west across the water toward Minnesota, the sun goes down right in front of you. I’ve lived here long enough to have favorite spots for every season, and I still stop what I’m doing when the sky starts to change.
Here are the places I send guests, starting with the ones you can walk to from downtown and working out to the bluffs down the river. Every one of them is free, and a few come with a drink in your hand.
If you only see one sunset in Prescott, see it here. Freedom Park sits on a sandstone bluff about 100 feet above the confluence, at the very start of Wisconsin’s Great River Road. From the terraces and overlooks you look straight out over both rivers toward the Minnesota bluffs, with boats making their way up the St. Croix. There’s parking, restrooms, a playground for kids who can’t sit still and plenty of benches.
Insider tip: Watch the water, not just the sky. The clear St. Croix and the brown Mississippi run side by side for a while before they mix, and in low evening light the line between them shows up beautifully. Eagles fish this stretch too, especially from late fall into spring.
Down at water level, Mercord Mill Park on Front Street puts you right at the confluence, with both of Prescott’s moving bridges in view: the Highway 10 drawbridge that opens in two halves for boats, and the railroad lift bridge beside it. The park sits on the site of an 1852 sawmill and later a flour mill, and the old lift-bridge gear house still stands there. Bring a coffee, sit on the bank and wait for a train to cross as the sky turns orange.
From late spring into early fall, two of Prescott’s restaurants give you a sunset with your dinner.
Muddy Waters has three levels of deck stepping down toward the St. Croix, with live music on summer evenings. The upper deck is calmer and the lower level, the Backwaters, is livelier. Order Leon’s House Smoked Salmon and a glass of their house red sangria and settle in. Dinner starts at 5, and they don’t take reservations, so get there early on a nice night.
A few doors down, Two Rivers Lodge has a big multi-level deck over the river and the railroad tracks, with an outdoor bar in summer and garage-door windows upstairs that open on warm evenings. Order the walleye dinner or a cranberry turkey Brie sandwich, and a Signature Bloody if it’s that kind of evening.
Insider tip: Once the outdoor bars close for the season, the windows upstairs at Two Rivers still give you the view with the heat on.
About 15 minutes north, Kinnickinnic State Park covers more than 1,200 acres where the Kinnickinnic River meets the St. Croix. The park sits on the west-facing shore, so the sunset drops behind the Minnesota side right across the water. Walk the bluff trails for views from above, or go down to the beach area by the St. Croix. Boaters love the sandy delta at the river’s mouth. You’ll need a Wisconsin state park vehicle pass.
About 45 minutes south on Highway 35, Maiden Rock Bluff rises about 400 feet above Lake Pepin, the wide stretch of the Mississippi. A 1.5-mile loop leads to an open overlook at the edge of the cliff, looking west and southwest down the lake. It’s one of the most dramatic sunsets in the region. Bring a headlamp for the walk out, wear good shoes, and stay back from the unfenced edge.
The river road has scenic pull-offs near Stockholm and just north of Pepin. If you’re driving home from dinner in Pepin, time it so you’re at one when the sun touches the bluffs.
About an hour and a half south, Buena Vista Park sits 500 feet above the town of Alma, and it’s been called the largest natural balcony on the Mississippi. From the top you can watch barges lock through Lock and Dam No. 4 below. Drive up on County E, or hike the trail from town.
About an hour north, the Summit Rock and Pothole trails at Interstate State Park look over the Dalles of the St. Croix, the rocky gorge carved by glacial meltwater. It’s a different kind of sunset: canyon walls instead of open water.
Make downtown Prescott your home base and book direct with us. You’ll be steps from the Riverwalk and minutes from Freedom Park.
