Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Elroy
Elroy is the hub of two additional trails—the
400 State Trail
(not 400 miles), stretching
to Reedsburg, and the
Omaha Trail,
a 12.5-mile seal-coated trail to Camp Douglas. The
coolestaccommodationsalongthetrailarethedomedunitsatUnionCenter's
Garden City
Motel
(326 Bridge St., Wonewoc, 608/462-8253). Wonewoc also has an interpretive nature
trail as well as a camp hall of the
Modern Woodmen of America
(Hwys. EE and G, 608/
983-2352, open Sat. afternoon in summer, generally). The century-old landscape murals
covering the entire interior were restored by the Kohler Foundation. It's
quite
a trip, visu-
ally. La Valle's
Hemlock Park,
west of town, has great sandstone bluffs for hiking, as well
as lakes on either side. The Omaha Trail features another monster tunnel, about 875 creepy
feet long. Both trails require trail passes.
The lovely common area of central Elroy links all three trails and features an old depot
chock-full of rentals and information for bikers, along with public restrooms. Call (608/
462-2453) for information. Saturday nights during summer, the live entertainment is a real
hoot.
For practicalities, the
Elroy City Park,
on WIS 80/82 on the edge of town, offers a
swimming pool and is a good place for a shower.
Waarvik's Century Farm
(N4621 Hwy.
H, 608/462-8595, $125) is a fourth-generation family B&B with a separate house and a log
cabin, offering a bike shuttle service.
Best representing what southwestern Wisconsin is all about is a part of Monroe and all of
Vernon and Richland Counties. Well within the topography ofthe challenging coulee coun-
try, the area also features excellent state parks, interesting architecture, glimpses of Amish
life, and even classic pastoral grazing land.
Scenic Drives
Pick any country road and it will roll, dip, turn back on itself and then seemingly forget it-
self in gravel and dissipate into something else—but always run along (or over) a creek or
past a dilapidated homesteader's cabin, a rusted wreck, an Amish home-bakery, bent-stick
furniture maker, or black horse buggy, and through fields of trillium.
The Ontario-La Farge stretches (north of Richland Center), around Wildcat Mountain
StatePark,areaperfectencapsulationofeverythingtheregionoffers.Twostate-designated
