Wisconsin Great River Road

Explore the bounty of Wisconsin’s mississippi river region
Start planning your trip today—visit wigreatriverroad.org
wisconsin great river road
94
WISCONSIN
Spring Valley
63
Prescott
10
agritourism sampler
Wisconsin Great
River Road
Ellsworth
Diamond Bluff
Hager City
Bay City
Durand
35
PI
RI
94
Eleva
10
Maiden Rock
IP
MISS
M
ISIS
RIVESISPIPSIS
R
85
Arkansaw
Stockholm
Pepin
VER
Osseo
Mondovi
Gilmanton
Nelson
37
93
35
MINNESOTA
Alma
Whitehall
Waumandee
Buffalo City
Blair
Arcadia
94
Cochrane
Ettrick
Fountain
City
35
KEY
Centerville
Galesville
Trempealeau
Mindoro
= 250-Mile WI Great River Road
Holmen
Midway
= River Crossing
= Car Ferry
90
90
West Salem
Onalaska
Bangor
Wineries, Orchards,
Farm Tours, Museums and More!
La Crosse
SAMPLE TRIP ITINERARIES
M
IS
RIVER
SIIPV
SISISR
S IS SM
I PIP
IR
PE
Morning
Soldiers
Grove
Ferryville
Mt Sterling Gays Mills
Afternoon
This itinerary begins in Potosi near the southern end of the Great River Road.
You’ll be traveling north toward La Crosse.
61
De Soto
• Stop by the farmers markets in La Crosse, Onalaska and Holmen
• Find ripe berries and other seasonal fruit at The Berry Patch in Centerville
• Get the pick of the season at Ecker’s Apple Farm in Trempealeau
• Sample the vintages at Seven Hawks Vineyards in Fountain City
La Farge
Viroqua
Victory
Morning
35
The Wisconsin Great River Road runs through Wisconsin’s
Mississippi River region, one of the most vibrant and interesting
agricultural regions in the Midwest. Along the Wisconsin Great
River Road, you’ll find a number of outstanding ways you can
experience this agricultural abundance.
Hillsboro
Genoa
Your trip begins in La Crosse, located at the center of the Wisconsin
Great River Road. You’ll be traveling north toward Prescott.
SOUTH ITINERARY
14
35
NORTH ITINERARY
• Taste wine made from locally grown grapes at Danzinger Vineyards in Alma
• Get fresh bread at A to Z Produce and Bakery in Stockholm
• Buy locally grown delights at Rush River Produce in Maiden Rock
• Enjoy an old-fashioned hayride at Maple Leaf Orchards in Spring Valley
• Pick out a tree (and have a slice of homemade pizza!) at Nesbitt’s Nursery
in Prescott
Kickapoo
River
Stoddard
Visit orchards, cheese factories, gardens, nurseries, tree farms,
farmers markets, museums and more to learn about the region’s
flourishing farms and hardworking residents. Taste the meats,
cheeses, fruits, vegetables and other products produced here.
See innovative farms, many of them organic and adhering to
14
171
Lynxville
Steuben
Eastman
For anyone who cares about where their food comes from,
visiting these attractions is an entertaining and rewarding
experience. Just as farm life follows the turning of the seasons, the
farm attractions available along the Wisconsin Great River Road
change throughout the year. Visit the Wisconsin Great River
Road in winter, spring, summer and fall, and you’ll enjoy totally
different experiences.
Plan Your Trip Online!
61
18
18
Wyalusing
This sampler gives you just a taste of the more than 100
Bagley
Glen Haven
• Visit the Potosi Brewery Museum in Potosi
• Tour the State Agricultural Museum and the Home of Nelson Dewey in Cassville
• Get fruits and veggies at the farmers markets in Prairie du Chien and Ferryville
• Visit the grass-fed cattle at Coulee View Family Farm in Wauzeka
• Taste the wares at Mt. Sterling Co-op Creamery
seasonal attractions this beautiful region has to offer. Online,
151
Cassville
Potosi
Afternoon
you’ll find the full list of attractions, plus contact information
and links to websites to get complete information. You
Tennyson
Dickeyville
Dickeyville
• View the blooms at Star Valley flowers in Soldiers Grove
• Pick out some plants at Read’s Creek Nursery in Readstown
• Visit Organic Valley Farms in La Farge and stop by Blue Goose Pizza & Ice Cream
• Drive the Cheyenne Valley Heritage Road Tour near Hillsboro
• Meet the fainting goats at Rainbow Ridge Farms in Onalaska
sustainable practices. And, meet the people who work the land
and make the products that end up on your dinner table.
Prairie du Chien
Wauzeka
Kieler
can sort attractions by type and location. You’ll be able to
plan a trip based on your personal interests and the section
of the Wisconsin Great River Road you’ll be traveling.
For a complete list of agricultural attractions, use your
IOWA
ILLINOIS
20
smartphone or computer to visit wigreatriverroad.org,
then click on Activities and select Agritourism.
Scan here for more
information
Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.
facebook.com/WIGreatRiverRoad
wigreatriverroad.org • 1.800.658.9424
Photo by: Chris
ti Gronemus
wigreatriverroad.org • 1.800.658.9424
➙
A Sampling of Attractions
The attractions listed in this guide are just a sample of the bounty you’ll find along and near the Wisconsin Great
River Road. Discover more than 100 seasonal attractions, from wineries and cheese factories to farmers markets and
festivals. To get the complete list of attractions, go to wigreatriverroad.org, click on Activities and select Agritourism.
Livestock Farms
Buy farm-fresh products straight from the source.
Purchase some of the finest quality meats available at these family-owned farms in Wisconsin’s
Mississippi River region. Enjoy beef, pork, lamb and
poultry raised with pride by Wisconsin family farmers. A great example is Coulee View Family Farm
in Wauzeka (608.874.4144, couleeviewfarm.com),
which produces grass-fed meats.
Cheese Factories
Annual Events
Don’t miss the many annual events
happening throughout the year in dozens
of communities in Wisconsin’s Mississippi
River region. You’ll find events celebrating
the agricultural products of the region,
including cheese, catfish and corn. All
events are open to the public and fun for
visitors of every age. June Dairy Days
in West Salem (junedairydays.com)
is an annual celebration of this small
community’s long history as a dairy
producer. The Buffalo County Fair in
Mondovi (buffalocounty.com) presents a
traditional rural county fair with a strong
agricultural focus. Holmen Kornfest
(608.527.4444, holmenkornfest.com)
is a great way to the usher in the harvest
season with a parade, carnival, live music
and horseshoe tournament. And, Catfish
Days in Trempealeau (608.534.6434)
celebrates the bounty of the Mississippi
River. In addition to these annual
events, each of the counties hosts their
own June Dairy Breakfast
(dairydaysofsummer.com), featuring
tasty products from Wisconsin farms.
These and dozens of other events will
give you a chance to get to know the
people and traditions of Wisconsin’s
Mississippi River region.
It is no secret that Wisconsin is the cheesemaking capital of the United States and, perhaps,
the world. Wisconsin’s Mississippi River region
is home to some of Wisconsin’s most talented
cheesemakers. Don’t miss the chance to sample
delectable goat cheese at the Mt. Sterling
Co-op Creamery (608.734.3151,
buymtsterlingcheese.com).
Christmas Tree
Farms
Do your kids think that Christmas trees come
from the North Pole? Show them where they really
come from with a trip to one of the Christmas tree
farms in Wisconsin’s Mississippi River Country.
In early winter, the Christmas Farm in Mindoro
(608.857.3593, thechrismasfarm.net) is the place
to go for a horse-drawn wagon ride through the
trees.
Farm B&B
Immerse yourself in farm life at a farm bed &
breakfast. Wake to rolling fields, hilltop orchards
or green pastures. You’ll learn about life on the
farm when you stay at Onalaska’s Rainbow Ridge
Farms (608.783.8181, rainbowridgefarms.com),
home to fainting goats, Olde English Babydoll
Southdown sheep, llamas, dairy goats, chickens,
ducks and donkeys.
Farmers Markets
Experience the abundance of Wisconsin agriculture
at one of the many farmers markets happening
throughout the spring, summer and fall in
Wisconsin’s Mississippi River region. Buy fresh
fruits and veggies, cut flowers, baked goods, meats,
eggs and other products from area farms. You’ll
find farmers markets in dozens of communities,
including Prairie du Chien (608.326.2491,
608.874.9382), Ferryville (608.734.3400),
La Crosse (608.785.9771, 608.782.1527), Onalaska
(608.785.9771), Holmen (608.785.9771),
Trempealeau (608.534.6780), Fountain City
(608.687.8170), Pepin (715.442.2429) and
Maiden Rock (715.647.3119).
Farm Tours and
Farm Experiences
Experience rural life firsthand on your next vacation.
Mother Earth Green Center’s Steuben Lodge
(608.476.2331, motherearthgreencenter.com)
on the Kickapoo River gives visitors a chance to
experience sustainable living in an idyllic setting.
Fruit and
Seasonal Produce
Savor the lush bounty of Wisconsin’s Mississippi
River region. From fresh berries and homemade
jams to vegetables, greens, pumpkins and corn, farms
throughout the region produce a hearty assortment of
healthy foods. Rush River Produce in Maiden Rock
(715.594.3648, rushriverproduce.com) is famous
for its blueberries, red currants, white currants and
gooseberries. If you’re looking for the fixings for an
old-fashioned pie, this farm should be your first stop.
Visit The Berry Patch (608.539.5541) in Centerville
for strawberries, raspberries, apples and melons.
Gardens
Be dazzled with color at Star Valley
Flowers in Soldiers Grove (608.735.4100,
starvalleyflowers.com), the largest field-grown
cut flower producer in the Midwest. In full
bloom, this farm is a sight to behold.
wigreatriverroad.org • 1.800.658.9424
Museums
Orchards
The hillsides and hilltops of the Wisconsin Great
River Road region support dozens of orchards. The
climate, soil and elevation of the region is particularly suited to growing apples. Ecker’s Apple Farm
in Trempealeau (608.539.2652, eckersapplefarm.
com) has been in the apple business since 1945,
producing some of the plumpest, sweetest and juiciest apples you’ve ever tasted.
Organic Farms
A number of museums in Wisconsin’s Mississippi
River region feature exhibits and artifacts relating
to the history of farming in Wisconsin. Stop by the
Alma Historical Society Museum (almahistory.org)
to learn about the early settlers who farmed the
rich soil of this bluff-side community. Visit
Cassville’s State Agricultural Museum at the
Stonefield Historic Site (608.725.5210, stonefield.
wisconsinhistory.org), which houses Wisconsin’s
largest collection of farm tools and machinery.
Be sure to visit the Home of Nelson Dewey
(608.725.5210, wisconsinhistory.org) in Cassville
and learn about the life of Wisconsin’s first governor. In Potosi, stop by the Potosi Brewing
Company (608.763.4002, potosibrewery.com) to
taste handcrafted brews and learn about the history
of brewing in this charming river town.
Nurseries
Got a green thumb? Visit one of the Wisconsin
Great River Road region’s nurseries for trees, shrubs
and more. Select plants and flowers at Read’s Creek
Nursery (608.629.5553) in scenic Readstown.
Nesbitt’s Nursery in Prescott (715.792.2676,
nesbittsnursery.com) is a great place to pick up a
spruce tree, but it’s also a great place to have a slice
of pizza or a homemade pie!
In an era when people are increasingly conscious
about the types of foods they’re feeding their families
and the ways foods are grown and produced, organic
farming has gained a firm foothold in Wisconsin’s
agricultural industry. Organic farms adhere to strict
guidelines, ensuring that crops and products are
produced without the use of manmade pesticides
and fertilizers. Along the Great River Road, you’ll
find a number of outstanding organic farms. One of
the best places to buy organic vegetables is A to Z
Produce and Bakery in Stockholm (715.448.4802,
atozproduceandbakery.com). Visit Organic Valley
Farms (888.444.6455, organicvalley.coop) in La Farge,
one of the largest organic producers in the world—
and while you’re in town, stop by Blue Goose Pizza
& Ice Cream (608.625.4335, bluegoosepizza.com).
Pick Your Own
There’s no better way to appreciate the harvest than
picking apples, berries or other fruits. The pick-yourown season begins with strawberry picking, which
starts in early June, and ends with apple picking in
the fall. Picking fruit is a great way for children of all
ages to learn about where their food comes from.
One of the most beautiful places to go a-pickin’ is
Maiden Rock Apples in Stockholm (715.448.3502,
maidenrockapples.com), where you’ll find more than
two dozen varieties. And, at Maple Leaf Orchard
in Spring Valley (715.778.5881, mapleleaforchard.
com), you can pick apples and then enjoy an oldfashioned hayride.
Unique Ethnic
Communities
Pepin and Trempealeau counties are home to
thriving Amish communities. Largely agrarian, the
Amish of western Wisconsin maintain a way of life
that is centuries old. In addition to being skilled
farmers, a number of Amish are skilled craftsmen.
Wooden, woven and handmade Amish items are
available for sale at a number of shops in the area.
To learn about the region’s first European settlers,
drive the Cheyenne Valley Heritage Road Tour
(csumc.wisc.edu/cmct/cheyenne) near Hillsboro,
which runs through Vernon County and highlights
the people who helped shape the community.
Wineries
You’ll find a number of wineries in Wisconsin’s
Mississippi River Country. Step into the vineyard of
one of these independent wineries and you’ll feel
like you’re in France or Germany. In addition to
wonderful wines, the region’s wineries offer
spectacular scenery. A good example is Danzinger
Vineyards in Alma (608.685.6000,
danzingervineyards.com), which affords aweinspiring views of the Mississippi River valley. The
picturesque Seven Hawks Vineyard in Fountain
City (608.687.9463, sevenhawksvineyards.com)
rival any in the world in terms of their scenic beauty.
Tenba Ridge Winery in Blair (608.525.2413,
tenbaridgewinery.net), located high in the hills of
Trempealeau County, provides visitors with what
is surely one of the best views in the state. And,
beautiful Elmaro Vineyard near Trempealeau
(608-534-6456, elmarovineyard.com) offers broad
views of the surrounding hills and bluffs.
Plan Your Trip Today!
Photo by: Beth
Nitti
This sampler offers just a taste of all that the Wisconsin Great River Road has to offer. Find a complete list
of more than 100 seasonal agricultural attractions and plan your trip by using your smartphone or computer
to visit wigreatriverroad.org, then click Activities and select Agritourism. You’ll find complete listings for
everything from annual events to wineries. Spend a few days traveling the Wisconsin Great River Road or spend a
few weeks. Plan your trip today—visit wigreatriverroad.org.
wigreatriverroad.org • 1.800.658.9424