Visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Birthplace in Pepin, Wisconsin
One of the things we love most about traveling America by RV is discovering places we probably never would have visited on a typical vacation. Pepin, Wisconsin was one of those places.
Little Pepin has a very big connection to American history: Laura Ingalls Wilder was born here, and the area became the setting for Little House in the Big Woods, the first book in her beloved Little House series.
That alone made Pepin worth a visit for us. But this stop gave us something else we hadn’t expected to be quite so excited about—our first real look at the Mississippi River!
Between Laura Ingalls Wilder history, beautiful river scenery, the historic town of Alma, and General getting his paws wet in the Mississippi, this turned into a memorable part of our journey.
Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pepin, Wisconsin
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories have introduced generations of readers to pioneer life, and her story began near Pepin.
We visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, where we had a chance to learn more about Laura, the Ingalls family, and the area’s connection to the Little House books.
For anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie or watching the television series, there’s something special about visiting the actual places connected with Laura’s life.
This wasn’t just a fictional setting created for a book. This was the country where the Ingalls family really lived and where some of Laura’s earliest memories began.
Our First Look at the Mississippi River
Laura Ingalls Wilder may have been the reason Pepin was on our itinerary, but another highlight of this trip was seeing the Mississippi River for the first time.
That might sound like a strange thing to get excited about, but this is one of the things we have come to appreciate about RV travel.
When you fly somewhere for vacation, you leave one place and arrive at another. When you travel slowly across America by road, you get to experience everything in between.
And suddenly there we were, standing beside the Mississippi.
On the opposite side of the water was Minnesota, while we stood on the Wisconsin side marveling at just how wide the river already was this far north.
Of course, General had to experience it too.
After spending years as an Outer Banks dog, he got the chance to get his feet wet along the shore of the Mississippi River. Apparently a good stick is a good stick whether you’re playing beside the Atlantic Ocean or the Mississippi!
Lake Pepin — But It’s Really the Mississippi
The section of the river beside Pepin widens considerably and is known as Lake Pepin.
Standing beside it, you could easily believe you were looking across a large lake. But it’s actually part of the Mississippi River.
The sheer size of it surprised us.
We were still a long way north, yet the Mississippi was already a tremendous body of water. It made us curious to see how the river would change as our travels eventually took us farther south.
Buena Vista Park Overlook
We also visited Buena Vista Park, high above the nearby town of Alma.
Getting there was an adventure of its own.
We started climbing a steep road with turns and switchbacks that reminded us a little of mountain roads back in North Carolina. Naturally, we assumed we were simply climbing toward another scenic overlook.
Then we reached the top—and found farm fields, cornfields, cattle, horses, and homes!
It was rather strange to climb such a steep bluff from the river town below and suddenly find ourselves surrounded by farmland.
Then we reached the overlook.
And what a view.
From Buena Vista Park, we could look out across the Mississippi River valley and see the many channels, islands, and stretches of water below.
It gave us an entirely different perspective on the river than we’d had while standing along its banks.
The Mississippi’s Logging History
From the overlook, we could also see some of the backwaters and channels associated with the river’s history.
This part of the Mississippi played an important role in the logging industry, when tremendous quantities of timber were transported along the river.
Seeing the landscape from above made it easier to understand just how important the Mississippi has been—not simply as a beautiful natural landmark, but as a transportation route that helped shape communities and industries throughout the region.
Exploring Historic Alma, Wisconsin
Below the overlook sits Alma, Wisconsin, another interesting little Mississippi River town.
We spent some time looking around and photographing some of its historic buildings.
This is another part of road travel that we’ve come to enjoy. Sometimes the places we remember most aren’t the major tourist destinations at all. They’re the little towns and unexpected stops we discover between them.
Alma’s location squeezed between the river and the bluffs made it especially interesting.
Seeing a Mississippi River Lock and Dam
We also got our first look at one of the lock and dam systems on the Mississippi River.
Until you actually begin traveling alongside the Mississippi, it’s easy to think of it simply as one enormous river flowing uninterrupted toward the Gulf.
Seeing the lock and dam gave us a glimpse into how the river is managed and used for navigation.
It was yet another one of those unexpected educational experiences we’ve encountered simply because we decided to slow down and travel America by RV.
Why We Loved This Part of Wisconsin
We originally came to Pepin because of its connection to Laura Ingalls Wilder.
We left appreciating the entire area.
We loved the combination of:
- Laura Ingalls Wilder history
- Little House connections
- Lake Pepin
- Mississippi River scenery
- Historic river towns
- Beautiful overlooks
- Wisconsin countryside
- Unexpected pieces of American history
It was exactly the kind of destination we’d hoped to discover when we decided to sell everything, buy a travel trailer, and start exploring the country.
Watch Our Visit to Pepin and the Mississippi River
In our video, you can come along as we explore Pepin, see the Mississippi River for the first time, visit the beautiful overlook above Alma, and watch General dip his paws into one of America’s most famous rivers.
If you’re a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, I’d definitely put Pepin on your list of places to visit.
And even if you’ve never read a Little House book, this stretch of Wisconsin along the Mississippi River is beautiful enough to deserve a stop of its own.
Another Adventure Over the Hills
Pepin was one of those stops that reminded us exactly why we chose this lifestyle.
We came looking for the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder and ended up discovering beautiful river towns, fascinating history, spectacular views, and our first glimpse of the Mississippi River.
Sometimes you know exactly what you’re going to see when you pull out of the campground in the morning.
And sometimes the best parts of the day are the things you never expected.
We’ll see you down the road—and Over the Hills!
Continue the Journey
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