Lower Wisconsin Riverway





Between Lodi and Prairie du Chien, in the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin, you'll happen upon Scenic Byway 60 winding along the curves of the Wisconsin River. To properly enjoy this scenic road trip, you'll have to put away your electronic devices, stop looking at your watch and turn off the GPS. Put on your favorite music, roll down the windows and let your hair blow in the breeze. Hopefully you're lucky enough to be the passenger on this drive so you can enjoy the views without having to concentrate on driving. But even drivers will appreciate the gentle curves gradually leading you up hills and back down into valleys as you keep the speedometer at a steady 55 miles per hour, only slowing as you pass through the quaint towns or to stop at local shops, restaurants and attractions.

To me, there is nothing better than taking a road trip with my dog and the weather cooperated perfectly. Charlie was pleased to have the sun roof open on this trip so she could drink in the smells of the river and fields as we cruised down the highway. She LOVES cows and I made sure to alert her when we were nearing another field so she could return their lazy gaze. Many farmers were baling sweet smelling hay in their freshly cut fields, churning out golden cubes in long rows.

Before you cross the bridge over the Wisconsin River to Prairie du Sac, take a quick detour down Hwy. 188 to the Wollersheim Winery. The historic buildings built by Europeans in the 1850's along with the vineyards situated on the slopes overlooking the Wisconsin River will inspire a relaxed frame of mind for the rest of your road trip. Stock up on some delicious wine while you're there to enjoy when you get home!

The farm fields occasionally give way to riverfront and the low water level reveals a multitude of sandbars full of campers, boaters and swimmers. People were out in droves taking advantage of these warm dog days of summer before school starts.

I'm always in awe of this driftless landscape:  On one side of the road, mounds of wooded hills rise out of the rolling meadows; on the other side lie marshy lowlands and sandbars of the Wisconsin River; and in between these beauties are waves of farm fields lined with ancient oaks keeping the different crops separated from each other.

We turned down Cassell Rd. to get a better view of the bluffs along this stretch of highway just before arriving in Spring Green. There was a grassy parking area with trails leading out into public lands where Charlie and I stretched our legs while taking pictures of the amazing bluffs.

I wanted to continue westward on this Scenic Byway, but we turned off Highway 60 at Spring Green and headed South on Hwy 23, toward family and our ultimate destination:  Platteville. Between Spring Green and Dodgeville, there are several stops you should consider making.

The first one that you'll encounter as you head south is Taliesin and the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center. Just before you cross the bridge over the Wisconsin River to this architectural landmark, there's a park along the shoreline where you can take a break and go swimming if the weather is agreeable. On this particular weekend, the park was full of people enjoying the water and even dogs frolicking along the sandbar beaches and fetching frisbees in the sand. Although it was a busy weekend, it didn't feel crowded.

Next, you'll pass The House on the Rock. It's REALLY hard to describe this place and definitely something you'd have to see for yourself anyway. I actually took my 11-year-old niece there back in June and we spent almost the whole day exploring the collections. Make sure to pull over at the Scenic Overlook before you get to The House on the Rock; there's a view of the Infinity Room from across the valley that can be seen from the Overlook on both the northbound and southbound sides of the highway. When Charlie and I first arrived at this spot, I wasn't quite sure what we were supposed to see; after I took the photo below we turned to head back up the trail and I caught a glimpse of the Infinity Room and knew exactly what I was looking at! It was like finding a secret!

Self portrait of me and Charlie at the Scenic Overlook.

The Infinity Room is way off in the distance on the bluff.

Zoomed in on the Infinity Room from the Scenic Overlook.

View of the Infinity Room from the Northbound Scenic Overlook (bridge connects both sides of the Overlook)

View of Highway 23 from bridge at Scenic Overlook.

After The House on the Rock, as you approach Dodgeville, you'll discover Governor Dodge State Park. I've previously reported on this beautiful (and dog friendly!) park, but you'll want to plan ample time to explore it because there is too much to see in one day.

This upcoming Labor Day Weekend is a perfect time for a scenic road trip. The countryside is brimming with sights to see, a new treasure to behold around every curve. Even if you just go for a drive with no destination and don't make any stops at all, your mind will be full of all the beautiful images of the scenery along the way, and that is priceless. Get out there and find a scenic drive this weekend... you might be surprised at what you find and you'll definitely come away with a deeper appreciation for your part of the world!

Governor Dodge State Park

The Driftless Area along the Highway 151 corridor between Madison and Dubuque contains some of the state's most beautiful landscape. Meandering creeks flow through the bottom of rolling hills flanked by rock outcroppings and ancient oaks, while moist summer heat radiates off prairie grasses, releasing their sweet fragrance into the breeze. Fields of crops throw their geometric patterns across hills and valleys while herds of cows congregate beneath the wide oaks in search of shade while grazing along the steep ravines. The quaint towns that pop up at intervals along this stretch of highway - Mount Horeb, Ridgeway, Dodgeville, Mineral Point, Platteville - all offer their own unique shops and markets reflecting quintessential "Americana" where time seems to slow down.

I had the pleasure of exploring Governor Dodge State Park near Dodgeville this past weekend and was completely blown away by the sheer size of this park! There are over 5,000 acres to explore as well as two lakes and miles of scenic hiking trails. Since I'm always on the lookout for "dog-friendly" places, I'm happy to report that this park gets my Pet Friendly Approval award. Upon arrival, the attendant at the ranger station was very helpful in pointing out the two dog beach/picnic areas on the park map they provided and a couple of the rangers even came over to the car window to pet Charlie and wish us a fun time at the park - a very nice welcome!

We began at the Enee Point picnic area where the trail head for the Pine Cliff Trail is located. This was a heavily wooded hike with steep grades and rocky terrain. Entering the trail was like walking into a jungle: waist-high ferns and plants, a crystal-clear creek flowing beneath a wooden bridge, and echoes of bird calls bouncing off the huge moss-covered rock wall rising out of the ground next to the trail. Surreal!

We walked up a steep log staircase to a sandstone arch where water ran down in a tiny waterfall.

 

We took the additional 2-mile self-guided loop along the cliff above Cox Hollow Lake that offers terrific views of the lake - although a little hard to see through the thick summer foliage. As the trail winds down the hillside, eventually following along the shoreline of the lake, we encountered several logs and trees that had fallen across the trail and had to scramble over them. Most of them looked like they had been there for quite awhile, so perhaps this just adds an element of challenge to the trail! Charlie was able to take a quick swim break in Cox Hollow Lake before we back-tracked the trail to the parking lot at Enee Point.

The temperature was climbing steadily and humidity was causing a haze in the distance; I was glad we had gotten an early start. We took a break from hiking and went for a drive through the park to investigate the pet beach area and stop at the concession stand for lunch. Surprisingly, the concession stand was more like a tiny grocery store with a good selection of hot foods and drinks. There were hot dogs, pizza, pretzels, nachos, ice cream, candy, chips, soda, bread, milk, yogurt, ice, coffee, slushies and t-shirts/souvenirs. They also have boat rentals - canoe, kayak, pedal boats - and dogs are allowed on the rental boats!

Like I said, very dog-friendly.

After lunch, we walked down to the dog swim area where Charlie got to frolic with a bunch of other dogs. The water was clear and the sand was soft - what else could you ask for! The dog beach is adjacent to the regular beach and each area is well-marked with signs so you know where to go. In addition, there are picnic tables and a nice grassy area for pet parents to relax and enjoy the beach with their fur-kids. Dogs are allowed off-leash while in the water.

We continued our exploration with a drive through the campgrounds and I was astounded to find there were available campsites on this big 4th of July weekend! It's nice to know that even on a busy weekend, you would be able to find a spot. There are two separate campgrounds at this park with a total of 269 individual sites. And if you happen to be a horse enthusiast, you can bring your horse to enjoy the horse trail system and camp at your very own horse-designated camp area! There are also six backpack campsites.

The scenic drive continued to the pet beach at Twin Valley Lake where there were far less people than at the Cox Hollow Lake; apparently most people drive to the nearest lake rather than driving all the way to the back of the park. As the temperature continued to climb on this hot summer day, Charlie was happy to swim off-leash and explore the shoreline. This pet beach, like the first one, is located adjacent to the regular swim/picnic area - just follow the signs indicating the dog areas.

We had time to check out one more trail for the day, and since it was getting so hot, I decided that Stephens Falls hiking trail would be the most appropriate. The steep staircase with rock steps leads you down to the water where you can feel the temperature drop as you get closer to the falls. The sound is mesmerizing!

Charlie was pulling very hard on her leash to get down to the falls as fast as possible! Not only was the water drawing her in, but there were kids playing in the falls and Charlie loves kids!

There is so much to see and do at this park that it's impossible to accomplish all in one day. The variety of terrain and thousands of acres will provide endless exploration! Governor Dodge State Park is truly unique and a must-see if you are passing through this part of our beautiful state.

If you liked this post, you might want to check out my more recent post from December 2015... Driftless Region + Governor Dodge State Park.

Black and White and GREEN all over!

We're back from our weekend road trip! All the fresh air and long hours in the Jeep have tired us out, but we had a lot of fun. The trees were fully leafed-out in this part of Wisconsin, lilacs were in full bloom - so sweet - and everything was GREEN! The weather was warm and humid and we even had a night of spectacular thunderstorms with quite the light show.

My ten-year-old niece joined us for part of the journey and was glued to Charlie for the whole weekend. It's pure joy to watch a little girl with a dog. And Charlie, of course, was so happy to have someone to throw her ball, rub her belly, scratch her ears, and receive her endless kisses. Adorable.

The weekend was filled with family time, sitting on quiet hillsides, planting flowers, watching birds and deer, enjoying the hazy sunset while grilling food. Laughter drifted across the tiny valleys as we watched Charlie do acrobatics while chasing her ball. The stormy night began with bedtime ghost stories and ended with two girls of very different ages lying in bed and talking late into the night, reminiscent of being at camp.

I did not spend the weekend with rigorous trail walks or explorations, but instead filled my heart with family.

Have fun.

Take care of yourself.

Be good to others.

 

Road Trip! Driftless Area

Charlie and I are heading out on a road trip tomorrow! We'll be traveling down to the Driftless Area of Wisconsin... that would be the southwest corner of the state. This is probably my most favorite part of the state - rolling hills dotted with cows, ancient oak trees, highways cut through limestone rock, meandering streams and the high bluffs along the Mississippi River. Everything is scenic and nostalgic to me in this place.

We'll have a great time romping through wide open fields and woods, splashing through spring-fed streams and absorbing the energy of nature. Plus, Charlie will get to play with her friend, BB - a black lab mix who is dumber than a rock but such a sweet boy. He exudes the patience of a saint while Charlie torments him in her smart-ass way. It's a joy to watch these two very different dogs interact with such playfulness that brings smiles and laughter to everyone in the house.