# 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.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b10-wisconsin-driftless/

**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. 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 |
| Route | Madison → Grandad Bluff |
| States | WI |
| Updated | April 24, 2026 |

## 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

1. **Madison** (WI)
2. **Mount Horeb** (WI)
3. **House on the Rock** (Spring Green, WI): A 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.
4. **Taliesin** (Spring Green, WI): Frank Lloyd Wright’s home, studio and school on 800 hilly acres; tours start from the visitor center on County C.
5. **Wildcat Mountain State Park** (Ontario, WI): An overlook of the winding Kickapoo River valley; canoe outfitters in Ontario rent boats for the gentle river below.
6. **Viroqua** (WI)
7. **La Crosse** (WI)
8. **Grandad Bluff** (La Crosse, WI): A 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.