An old train depot just north of Lake Geneva is now home to the Pedal & Cup, for bike rentals and coffee; a columbine in bloom.
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In a cornfield in southeastern Wisconsin, I finally broke up with “Lee,” the Australian narrating bad GPS directions. “Recalculating,” he asserted in his Aussie drone. “Make a U-turn.” I shut him off, pulled out my atlas and consulted my seven-year-old son and crack navigator, Henry. For the rest of the trip I relied on paper maps, the kid, and advice from local historical organizations and subject-specific websites. And I embraced my habit of taking wrong turns. The result was unexpected shops, scenery and natural delights in the middle of nowhere.
MAPS AND MORE
Before setting out, I consulted the DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer, the classic go-to guide for back-road details. Then I cross-referenced that with the most current updates to Wisconsin’s rural road maps. We also marked some of the DOT-designated Rustic Roads, which are nominated by locals, to guarantee a gorgeous and historic route.
CLEAR GOLD
Only an hour or so into our expedition, we followed a series of country roads outside Whitewater to an artesian spring that had been dug in pioneer times. It took a few wrong turns—a bridge was out—but finally, a mile from the intersection of Clover Valley and Millis Roads, we found a small roadside sign, a picnic table and a pillar made of stones that supported a steel pipe gushing sparkling water. My navigator dramatically stuck his head under the clear stream in an exuberant Eureka! moment.
There are several dozen similar springs around the state listed at Findaspring.com, which provides clear directions and details on the history and quality of the water. (The next spring off Bark River Road, for example, was too rusty for our liking.)
ON YOUR FEET
My little navigator has a flair for spotting unusual flora. To help him out, we printed out a chart of spring blooms from the University of Wisconsin’s wonderful roadside wildflower identification guide and gathered a dashboard bouquet. In Springfield we parked in the lot of an old train depot—now the Pedal & Cup café—and wandered down the flat White River Trail for a mile. Wisconsin’s rolling hills have inspired the state to develop and maintain thousands of miles of multiuse trails, many outlined at Cycle Southwest Wisconsin. The Ice Age Trail is the most famous, but some of its segments follow busy roads or are incomplete. For routes that reveal the geologic impact of glacial erosion, get a copy of the Ice Age Trail Atlas and find a section that overlaps with your driving route. Henry quickly sensed the gravity of driving over the rumpled path left by a retreating glacier. “That’s cool,” he said as he watched the asphalt rise and fall in roller-coaster rhythm. “But can you go a lot faster?”
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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