Bluegrass on Prairie Island

As we left the Minneapolis-St Paul area we deliberately avoided the urban section of the Great River Road and instead skirted the Twin Cities to the south and east to Hastings where we picked up the scenic road again. As the road meandered along the west bank of the Mississippi River we delighted in seeing some familiar vistas. We’ve driven this section once before. As we headed south with the river on our left we were awed by the beauty of the geology and forests of the Driftless Area on our right. We delighted driving through Redwing, and along the shore of Lake Pepin, stopping at a park in Florence to stretch our legs and grab a geocache across from Maiden Rock, finally arriving at Prairie Island Campground near Winona, Minnesota. As we registered we learned that there would be live Bluegrass music, a food truck, a beer truck, and a dessert truck a little later on this Saturday evening as part of their Campfire Concert Series. After set up we joined in the festivities. Later as we strolled the park at sunset we realized that we’d stayed here once before in 2015 and there was Bluegrass music happening here that weekend also. As before we enjoyed the Mississippi Sunset as music wafted in our direction.