"The Hills of Winona To the Wineries of Algoma"

Southern terminus: Buffalo County, on the Mississippi River bridge on the border with Winona, Minnesota

Northern terminus: Kewaunee County, at the junction with Highway 42 in downtown Algoma

Mileage: about 244 miles

Counties along the way: Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson, Portage, Waupaca, Outagamie, Brown, Kewaunee

Sample towns along the way: Winona, MN, Galesville, Black River Falls, Wisconsin Rapids, Plover, Waupaca, New London, Green Bay, Luxemburg, Algoma

Bypass alternates at: Wisconsin Rapids, Waupaca, Green Bay

Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 54 is a "coast to coast" route, connecting the colleges and hills around Winona, Minnesota, winding through the hills around the Black River, the cranberry bogs, forests and lakes of central Wisconsin, and punching right through Green Bay on its way to the beautiful lakefront setting of Algoma.

The Drive (West to East): Highway 54 begins smack dab in the middle of the Mississippi River - on the North Channel Bridge leading away from picturesque Winona, Minnesota (named after our favorite Hollywood shoplifter) toward a massive bluff on the Wisconsin side of the river - the first of many this road comes across as it begins its ride through the Driftless Area on its way to Algoma, 244 miles away. As soon as you're off the bridge onto terra firma, you reach Wisconsin's Great River Road, Highway 35.

Highway 54 starts as you cross into Wisconsin from Winona, Minnesota, a lovely river town that's billed as the Stained Glass Capital of the World. Just as long as there's none in the road, I guess it's alright. Once you enter Wisconsin, Highway 54 meets up with Highway 35 for a little trek into Trempealeau - County.

Highway 54 turns east and follows Highway 35, hugging the bluffs with the river and the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge to your right. The Trempealeau N.W.R. covers over 10 square miles and consists of the backwaters away from the Mississippi and the Trempealeau Rivers. Called a "prairie wonderland" by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, you'll find tall grasses that reach heights of eight or nine feet. Watch for controlled fires in the area, primarily during the spring months. Past tiny Marshland and over the Trempealeau River, Highway 54 leaves Buffalo County and enters Trempealeau County (I'll bet you've never seen the word "Trempealeau" so many times in one paragraph) for a beeline ride east, past the intersection where Highway 35 breaks away to head south toward La Crosse and Highway 93 joins from the north for the ride into Galesville (pop. 1,427). Galesville celebrates the apple orchards of Wisconsin the first Saturday in every October with the Apple Affair, featuring everything apple (except, perhaps, for Gwyneth Paltrow's kid), tons of activities and multiple bicycle tours that let you pedal around and check out the fall colors.

U.S. Highway 53 joins Highways 54 & 93 for a miles east from Galesville. U.S. 53 and Highway 93 then take off southeast toward La Crosse and Highway 54 becomes its own road for the first time since the bridge over the Mississippi. The next twenty miles or so are beautiful; you wind through the Driftless Region. There are many twists and turns on this fairly narrow stretch of road -- it's not the place to open it up and do 100 mph, even on a motorcycle -- as you enter Jackson County and approach the Black River near North Bend, a great place to stop and do some canoeing. Try Riverview Inn & Supper Club (608-488-5191), where you can dine and/or navigate the Black River as a nice break from the drive.

Before or after a nice meal, enjoy some canoeing on the Black River in North Bend, right along Highway 54.

Further past, you cross the northern beginning of Highway 71, which leads toward Sparta. Highway 54 then heads into Melrose (pop. 529) before a meandering ride roughly paralleling the Black River to Black River Falls.

Ever heard of Sphagnum moss? Me neither, but it's actually a significant plant that pumps money into the local economy. Growing quickly in the boggy and marshy lands in the area, Sphagnum moss is used to keep nursery plants and flowers alive and watered during shipping, since this moss can hold 20 times its weight in water. It's used in hydroponic gardening, which I had to look up -- it's basically about growing plants with mineral nutrient solutions instead of the traditional soil. It's even used for surgical dressings because it is sterile (ironically, it reproduces quickly.) It also helps prevent fungus attack in seeds. Wisconsin is actually the only state that produces Sphagnum moss commercially. The Sphagnum moss marker, which is actually along I-94 in the rest area just south of Black River Falls.

The Black River, which runs through the heart of Black River Falls (logically enough), indeed has a blackish hue due to its high iron content. It's a popular paddling and canoeing river, as evidenced by the opportunity you had earlier in North Bend. The Black River Falls Chamber of Commerce offers information on a bunch of other places to take advantage of the river's amenities, as well as the city's. Just follow U.S. 12/Highway 27 (Water Street) north from the downtown junction for a brief minute and it's right there. You can also call them at 800-404-4008.

Cool kitsch: Familiar with the British band The Fall? They actually mention the Black River Falls Motel. Why? I'll do some digging and find it, 'cause I'll bet the story's interesting. Also, you should check out the orange moose at the Best Western Arrowhead Lodge & Suites, and the "cow" McDonald's, a Mickey D's with cow-like themes on the tables - although they could be dalmation-like, too. Also, the Majestic Pines Casino is maintained by the Ho-Chunk Nation just east of Black River Falls, so if you're feelin' lucky, stop in and test your fate.

Evidence of the forthcoming cranberry domination along Highway 54 shows up just before City Point, a town that crams 189 people into only 90 square miles. Many more of the brilliant red seas of berries (in season) will come in Wood County. Meanwhile, how about some wildlife? Check out the Sandhill Wildlife Area Trails inside the 9,100-acre Sandhill State Wildlife Area. It features a 3.5-mile hiking trail known as the Swamp Buck, a captive herd of bison, and camping abundant opportunities for wildlife viewing and interaction. If you prefer the comfort of your vehicle, there Trumpeter Trail Auto Tour gives you 14 miles of road to follow. Three observation towers and a slew of guidance and informational signs tell you more about the animals you're watching, including white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, Canada geese, ducks, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, shorebirds, songbirds, hawks, owls... you get the idea. Oh, and there's no hunting allowed. You can access the Sandhill Wildlife Area Trails right off Highway 54 by following County Highway X south.

Back onto 54, you meet up with Highway 80 briefly in Dexterville and then plow eastward through miles of cranberry bogs and you're in towns with names like "Cranmoor."

The Wisconsin River beckons as you hook up with Highway 73, just out of Nekoosa and head into Port Edwards (pop. 1,944). Originally known as "Frenchtown", Port Edwards grew around a sawmill owned by John Edwards, Sr. and Jr. - assuming no relation to the Senator from North Carolina - and the town was eventually renamed after them. The "Port" part comes from the Wisconsin River, upon which Port Edwards sits. While there, check out the Alexander House Center for Art & History, (715-887-3442) which features art displays, colonial furniture, and historical looks at the area's papermaking and lumber industry. The Alexander House is right along Highway 54. The Edwards and most of its inhabitants weren't big drinkers; this was a "dry" community from its establishment in the 1830s all the way into the 1990s. So for a century and a half, residents in search of imbibe-ment headed up today's Highway 54 to their "big city" neighbor.

Wisconsin Rapids (pop. 18,435) isn't a big city, but it is big enough to be its own "micropolitan" area, which has almost 50,000 people. "Da Rapids", as locals call it, used to be two cities on opposite sides of the Wisconsin River, Centralia and Grand Rapids; they merged in 1900. Then, in 1920 when locals were fed up with getting mail misdirected to Grand Rapids, Michigan, they changed the city’s name to Wisconsin Rapids. The "rapids" refers to a 45-foot drop this "hardest working river in the world" made at this point, which provided some good acceleration to boats and canoes. Dams have since changed this - there are five from Stevens Point down to Nekoosa - but this stretch of the river still provides hydroelectric power and makes it convenient to pound wood into pulp so we can eventually have something to write on.

Consequently, Wisconsin Rapids is a major hub for papermaking and also serves as the shipping point for a lot of cranberries you saw in the bogs getting here. Wisconsin grows more cranberries than any other state - over 300 million pounds per year - and Wood County (of which Wisconsin Rapids is the county seat) is pretty much the center of it all. It’s home to a major educational software company, Renaissance Learning and the hometown of the driver with NASCAR’s coolest name ever, Dick Trickle.

Grotto Alert.
Fans of the remarkable collections of stone, glass and rock that make up Wisconsin's fascinating grottos will want to check out Rudolph Grotto & Wonder Cave, located about nine miles north of Wisconsin Rapids via Highway 34. Red gossan rocks dominate much of the grotto, ranging from pebble-sized to a 78-ton boulder. The Wonder Cave itself is something to see.

Highway 54 runs along the Wisconsin River's west shore into the city. Highway 73 breaks away at this point and heads toward Neillsville with Highway 13 westbound. We'll join Highway 13 eastbound for a short distance on the "Riverview Expressway", which isn't that expressway-like but is still the first divided highway stretch on Highway 54 since it began in Winona. Highway 13 then heads south toward Wisconsin Dells, while Highway 54 shoots north along 8th Street into downtown Wisconsin Rapids. Highway 13 used to follow this route too, so you'll see "Business" 13 signs along your way. Wisconsin Rapids via Google Maps.

Hey, tours aren't just for highways, breweries and museums. Tour the Stora Enso North America papermaking plant at 4th Avenue and High Street (715-422-3789) or, if you want to see paper in its original form, check out the Griffith State Nursery (473 Griffith Avenue, 715-424-3700), the largest forest nursery in Wisconsin.

Highway 54 leaves "Da Rapids" on Baker Street (insert Gerry Rafferty song here) and then as Plover Road for the ride to - you guessed it - Plover. This stretch was recently upgraded to a 65 mph expressway, so open it up and enjoy.

*** Plover, Waupaca toward Seymour, Green Bay and Algoma is coming soon! ***

CONNECTIONS
West Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Minnesota Highway 43, Wisconsin Highway 35
Can connect nearby to: U.S. Highway 53, about 7 miles east

East Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Highway 42

Upcoming events in places along Highway 54:
International Bayfest, Green Bay, June 13-15, 2008
Cranberry Blossom Festival, Wisconsin Rapids, June 19-22, 2008
Outagamie County Fair, Seymour, July 22-27, 2008
Burgerfest Balloon Rally, Seymour, August 8-10, 2008
26th Annual Apple Affair, Galesville, October 4th, 2008

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