Crystal River Inn

In the National Register Historic Village of Rural, the Crystal River flows to and fro and through the old swimming hole then spills over the dam and winds its way under five bridges.

Before quietly slipping out of town, it glides past and around more than 14 mid-1800 homes and buildings.

Nestled in one of these serpentine loops you'll find the Crystal River Inn, a premier bed and breakfast of Waupaca, Wisconsin - in an 1853 farmstead setting.

Our 11 acre Inn property offers a variety of bird and other wildlife habitats. They include recent and long abandoned farm fields, evergreen pine groves, old and young hardwoods with lots of snags, a small pond full of spring peepers, some small areas of wetland, a small river (the Crystal), and some lawn. We will be restoring the west 3-4 acres as lowland prairie or oak savannah as there are several open grown burr oaks there.

Further birding and wildlife viewing is a 2 minute walk in the village which brings you to an 1850's mill pond where sightings of belted kingfishers, great blue heron and other water and marsh birds are common. We recently saw a river otter snacking on one of the many fish in the pond. Within a five minute walk or bike ride there are uplands, drumlins as this is terminal moraine area, marshes and more river and field habitat. We are in the Chain O'Lakes so within three miles or less there are deep glacial kettles with marsh and tamarack swamp around them. Several of the lakes are "no wake" lakes perfect for canoe and kayak. Hartman Creek State Park is three miles away and the Waupaca River is 4 miles away. There is a restored oak savannah area 3 miles away by Waupaca High School.

We are located on Wisconsin Rustic Road #23 and are in wonderful bicycling country. Our road and even the Inn are included in many bike touring guides.