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Cruising into fall

For lovely views of the hues, try a float on a boat.

Passengers on the Julia Belle Swain watch the Mississippi Queen.

Passengers on the Julia Belle Swain watch the passing American Queen.

As wooded shorelines erupt in fall colors, narrated river cruises become especially popular. That's easy to understand — why not kick back and let the scenery come to you?

On the most scenic part of the Mississippi, a steam-powered paddlewheeler cruises past 500-foot bluffs and river towns filled with history, and pontoons glide into backwaters. In the northwoods, a pontoon explores a wild part of the Wisconsin River. And sandstone formations on the Dalles and in the Dells give passengers on paddlewheelers, launches and Ducks plenty to look at.

Here are some of the best tours.

Mississippi Explorer from Prairie du Chien, Wis.: These pontoon riverboats ply the Mississippi at its most picturesque, the point where WIsconsin, Iowa and Illinois meet. Based in Lansing, Iowa, the line specializes in backwater eco-tours out of La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, Wis.; Dubuque, Iowa; and Chestnut Mountain Resort, just south of Galena, Ill.

In fall, they also offer two-hour fall foliage cruises out of Prairie du Chien, Wis., at noon Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 19. They're $20, $15 for youths 4-11. Call 877-647-7397, 563-856-4444, www.mississippiexplorer.com.

Julia Belle Swain in La Crosse, Wis.: The ornate, three-deck Julia Belle is a real steamboat, built in 1971 around 1915 steam engines, and a cruise on her is a real treat. She goes places, too: Sept. 30-Oct. 1, to Winona and back to La Crosse; Oct. 3-6, to Winona, then Wabasha and back. Passengers can stay overnight in a hotel and turn by boat, or make it a day trip and return by bus. Out of La Crosse, she offers dinner and scenic cruises; on Oct. 19, there's a B.B. King Tribute cruise. Through Oct. 24. 800-815-1005, www.juliabelle.com.

Dells Boat Tours in the Wisconsin Dells: Narrated tours on the Wisconsin River, past the famous sandstone formations, go out daily through October. Upper Dells rides are two hours, $21.70, $10.85 for ages 6-11; Lower Dells are one hour, $15.80 and $8.73; both, $26.89 and $14.85. 608-254-8555, www.dellsboats.com.

Wisconsin Ducks in the Wisconsin Dells: The amphibious Ducks have changed their water route and now trundle along forest trails and into the Wisconsin River to see the breach of Lake Delton, which drained in June. One-hour, 8½-mile tours go out through Nov. 2, $23 adults, $11.50 children 6-11, 608-254-8751, www.wisconsinducktours.com.

Scenic Boat Tours on the St. Croix River from Taylors Falls, Minn.: Narrated paddlewheeler cruises take passengers past the evocative formations of the St. Croix's Dalles, formed at the same time and in the same way as Wisconsin's Dells. On weekends through mid-October, seven-mile narrated trips leave daily at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., $14.50, $8.50 children 3-12; and three-mile trips at 5:30 p.m., $10.50 and $7. On weekdays in September and October, only the 1:30 p.m. trip is offered. 651-257-3550, 800-447-4958.

Wilderness Cruises on the Wisconsin River south of Rhinelander, Wis. The 76-foot Wilderness Queen, which formerly toured the nearby Willow Flowage, is one of the few remaining northwoods cruises, and its route gives passengers many opportunities to see eagles, osprey and herons.

It offers 1½-hour sightseeing cruises, $14, $8 for children 3-10, and two-hour Sunday brunch cruises, $28 and $23, on a pontoon with an open top deck and a handsome, knotty-pine lower deck. There's a cruise nearly every day through Oct. 5. 715-369-7500, www.wildernesscruises.com.

Last updated on October 5, 2008

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Cruising into fall

For lovely views of the hues, try a float on a boat.