With few exceptions, Wisconsin 's portion of the Great River Road follows US Highway 35 from Dickeyville in the southwestern corner of the state to Prescott where the Mississippi turns west into Minnesota . Hwy 35 is well traveled. While most experienced touring bicyclists will be quite capable of traveling its entire length and coping with its traffic, two sections with lower volumes and 5-foot paved shoulders are good examples of how well you can experience the river from the seat of your bicycle. Those sections are a 32-mile stretch from Nelson to Hager City , and a 27-mile stretch from Lynxville to Genoa .
The northern recommended section of Hwy 35 links six pleasant river towns – Nelson, Pepin, Stockholm , Maiden Rock, Bay City and Hagar City . The town of Nelson is famous for its ice cream parlor and cheese factory, as well as the Tiffany Bottoms, a 12,000-acre wildlife refuge that's a prime breeding and migratory bird habitat. Pepin is the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the “Little House” books. Stockholm boasts a vibrant artisan community; its Main Street is a wonderful mix of cafes, gift shops, galleries and antiques. Maiden Rock is named for the bluff above the city. It is the home of one of the state's largest berry farms and apple orchards. Bay City , at the north end of Lake Pepin , is a popular stop for eagle watching, picnicking and fishing.
The southern shouldered section of Hwy 35 links Lynxville, Ferryville, De Soto , Victory and Genoa . At Lynxville you can watch barges come through Lock & Dam #9. Ferryville, built on a narrow ledge between the river and the bluffs, is the longest one-street village in the world. Three miles north of De Soto , Blackhawk Park is a 225-site, full-service campground operated by the Army Corps of Engineers on an island in the Mississippi . Genoa is the home of Lock & Dam #8, and Clement's Fishing Barge, the oldest floating fishing platform on the river.
The all-new Mississippi River Bike Map is an excellent resource for any portion of Wisconsin 's Great River Road (Hwy. 35). It highlights biking conditions on one side, with accompanying narrative copy on the other. The map is currently available only on-line at www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/bike-foot/bikemaps.htm. Check it out.
East of the river, up the bluffs, many quiet country roads make excellent on-road bicycling forays. The Wisconsin Bicycle Federation distributes a series of four large foldout maps detailing on road routes as well as linear bike trails.
Maps are available at Wisconsin bike shops or may be ordered by calling
800/362-4537
($18.96 for the set, includes S&H). |
