Travel media have consistently voted Wisconsin one of the greatest road-touring states in the country. Much of this comes from natural beauty; a good deal also comes from the fact that many rural roads, originally known as farm-to-market roads, seem to have changed little (other than having pavement) in a century and a half.
Within the regions of this guide you’ll find more than two dozen fantastic roads that cannot be rivaled. Near Milwaukee [1], the communities with this author’s favorites include Cedarburg [2] (#52), Mequon (#65), Burlington (#42), Lake Geneva (#11 and #29), and Horicon Marsh (#106). Near Madison [3], this author’s favorites are near Fort Atkinson (#84), Interstate 90/94 (#49), and especially Green County in its basic entirety!
Options for serpentine blue highways are infinite; thankfully, the Department of Transportation has highlighted more than 90 of the state’s best back-roads trips in an effort to preserve the lightly traveled avenues into the real Wisconsin.
A road trip on one of these roads is a phenomenal way to view the countryside and the culture. Every single Rustic Road of the state is guaranteed to offer an amazing palette of colors mid-September–late-October. Pick up the book Wisconsin’s Rustic Roads, which outlines these routes and is available free from tourist centers or by visiting the website of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation [4].
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/wisconsin/milwaukee
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/wisconsin/milwaukee/vicinity-milwaukee/cedarburg
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/wisconsin/madison
[4] http://www.dot.wi.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroads.htm