Outdoor Recreation

Levee Park

This park is the first public designed levee park on the upper Mississippi. Beautiful murals of river scenes are painted on  the dike wall. This park is often visited by The Mississippi Queen, American Queen and the Delta Queen steamboats, which  dock at the park. Levee park is located between Walnut St. and Johnson St. along the Mississippi River.


Sugar Loaf

Sugar Loaf Mountain towers 500 feet above what was once the main channel of the Mississippi and is now Lake Winona. The formation was a landmark for early river pilots. Indian legend has it that the mountain represented the cap of Chief Wapasha, transformed into stone, but in truth quarry men created Sugar Loaf, which towers more than 85 feet above the remainder of the bluff. It has remained that way for over 95 years.

Garvin Heights Park

With a scenic drive and overlook, Garvin Heights Park provides a view of the city and the river. On a clear day, you can see 20 to 30 miles up and down the river valley. Hiking trails 500 feet above the city provide further magnificent views.



Prairie Island Park and Nature Trail

Just minutes from downtown Winona on the Mississippi River, half of this municipal park is maintained in a near-natural condition with an interpretive nature and wildlife trail. There is an enclosed deer park, picnic areas, boat launches, camping and playgrounds. The Prairie Island Nature Trail is a one-mile level, loop trail that can be comfortably walked in 30 to 45 minutes. Stops include a flood plain forest, an observation deck on a Mississippi River backwater slough, birds such as wrens, catbirds, brown thrashers and scarlet tanagers, and a deer park. No admission fee. Located on Prairie Island Road