Don't Miss - Hidden Valleys of Southwestern Wisconsin

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drive of 1 1 /2 to 2 1 /2 hours from
Rochester, Dubuque, Madison,
Wisconsin Dells and Eau Claire.
The pace here is a little less hectic
with only 3 stoplights in the entire
county.
For more detailed information
on our community events, recreation
opportunities, parks, camping or
accommodations, please contact our
advertisers or the village offices via
their email, websites or by telephone.
Accommodations
Lodging and camping facilities,
rental cabins, motels, B&Bs, farm
vacations, business retreats, gourmet
dining and reception facilities are
conveniently located throughout
Vernon County.
Sportsman’s
Paradise
Vernon County is a prime
destination for wildlife watchers. A
must see on any vacation is watching
the glorious bald eagles as they
soar above the bluffs along the
Mississippi, or dive into the river
to catch a fish. Vernon County also
offers abundant small game, deer and
turkey hunting. With over 200 miles
of trout streams, much of it Class 2,
3 man-made lakes, the Mississippi,
Bad Axe, Kickapoo rivers, Vernon
County is an angler's delight. The
Kickapoo River, rated number one
with Silent Sports Magazine’s readers
in 1992, aptly deserves its title of
the crookedest river in Wisconsin,
as it zigzags 120 miles down its 70
mile-long valley, passing through
Ontario, Rockton, LaFarge, Viola
and Readstown, on its way to the
Wisconsin River at Wauzeka.
A network of 160 miles of signed
snowmobile trails connects with
adjacent Richland, Sauk, Crawford,
Juneau, Monroe and LaCrosse county
trail systems.
Five biking loops, including
Wildcat and Amish Country, are
recommended in “WORLD CLASS
BIKE ROUTES”. Vernon County’s
many well-maintained backroads
offer cyclists endless opportunities to
create their own bike tours to explore
her hidden valleys.
Specialties
Tours are available at many of the cheese factories and creameries
located throughout Vernon County. It’s still possible to order your favorite ice
cream treat at an old-fashioned soda fountain or “dairy bar”. Many fine dairy
products are available locally, including “squeaky fresh” cheese curds. The
annual June Dairy Days is an opportunity for visitors to have breakfast on a
dairy farm. Area folks eagerly await the many ethnic church suppers held
annually in the fall, as well as the Friday night fish fries, chicken-ques,
smelt fries, lutefisk, meatball and lefse dinners, and pig roasts.
Historical Roadside Markers
There are eight Wisconsin historical roadside markers in Vernon County:
Coon Valley - First Watershed Protection Project; De Soto - Battle of the Bad
Axe and Chief Win-no-shik; Genoa - Dams on the Mississippi and Wisconsin’s
first nuclear fueled electrical generating station; Hillsboro - Admiral Marc
A. Mitscher and Cheyene Valley Heritage; Viroqua - Governor Rusk. Call
608-637-7396 for information on locating the distinctive signs that mark the
stages in the tragic Black Hawk Indian War which ended on the banks of the
Mississippi in the 1830s (Blackhawk Trail Markers).
Interesting Shopping
The largest Amish settlement in Wisconsin is found in eastern Vernon
County from northeast of Westby to Ontario, Mt. Tabor and Hillsboro. Amish
families are also now settling west of Viroqua at Dach Ridge and Retreat, and
near Readstown. Amish wares are advertised by roadside signs and include
maple syrup, hickory bent furniture, produce, bakery goods, candy, cheese,
rugs and quilts. While shopping with the Amish, please dress conservatively
and leave your camera in your car. No Sunday sales.
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