Wisconsin’s Driftless Area
Glacier-free hills and valleys, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin, trolls, oddities and Mississippi bluffs.
- Distance
- 259 km (161 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 52 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 8
- States
- WI
- Updated
- April 24, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 259 km (161 mi) with 8 stops, from Madison to Grandad Bluff. About 2 h 52 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Wisconsin
Route description
The Driftless Area escaped the glaciers of the last ice age, leaving steep hills, deep valleys and cold trout streams instead of flat farmland. From Madison, US-18/151 leads to Mount Horeb, the “Troll Capital of the World”, with carved trolls along its main street.
Continue west to the House on the Rock, a bizarre home and museum built into a rock pinnacle, then north to Spring Green, where Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin sits on a hill above the Wisconsin River; tours sell out on summer weekends.
Follow US-14 northwest through Richland Center, Wright’s birthplace, and take State Road 131 up the Kickapoo Valley to Wildcat Mountain State Park, with a valley overlook and canoe trips on the winding river. The roads through the ridges are curvy but fine for RVs.
Continue to Viroqua, a farming town with a strong organic food scene, and on to La Crosse on the Mississippi, where Grandad Bluff gives a wide view over the river and three states. Early October brings fall color, and apple orchards around Gays Mills are in season.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Madison
WI - 234 km
Mount Horeb
WI - 340 km
House on the Rock
OdditiesSpring Green, WIA house built on a rock chimney, with an Infinity Room over the valley and the world's largest indoor carousel. It takes hours and gets stranger as you go.
- 49 km
Taliesin
HistorySpring Green, WIFrank Lloyd Wright’s home, studio and school on 800 hilly acres; tours start from the visitor center on County C.
- 589 km
Wildcat Mountain State Park
ViewsOntario, WIAn overlook of the winding Kickapoo River valley; canoe outfitters in Ontario rent boats for the gentle river below.
- 636 km
Viroqua
WI - 747 km
La Crosse
WI - 84 km
Grandad Bluff
ViewsLa Crosse, WIA 600-foot bluff with views over La Crosse, the Mississippi and into Minnesota and Iowa. A good spot at dusk as city lights come on.
FAQs
How long is Wisconsin’s Driftless Area?
3-day road trip of about 259 km (161 mi) with 8 stops, from Madison to Grandad Bluff. About 2 h 52 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Wisconsin’s Driftless Area?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 52 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Wisconsin’s Driftless Area start and end?
It starts in Madison and ends in Grandad Bluff.
Which states does Wisconsin’s Driftless Area pass through?
Wisconsin.
