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"Mining to Skiing, Trolling to Climbing"
 | Ducking under a railroad trestle in Illinois, Highway 78 comes into Wisconsin in a wide-open area between Warren and Gratiot. For the 93 mile stretch this "trunk tour" lasts, this is about as flat as the land gets. |
| Gratiot is the first village along Highway 78 in Wisconsin, where 252 residents and several watering holes host Cheese Country Trail recreationalists and State Trunk Tourers using Highway 78 and/or 11. |  |
Whether you stop in Gratiot or not, Highway 78 turns east and joins Highway 11 for a very brief stint before breaking north again and beginning one of its nicest stretches. Lots of long vistas and pleasant stretches await on this section, which brings you north through Wiota and along stretches of the picturesque Pecatonica (try saying that fast five times) River, with the valleys that go with it. The road winds up, over and around many hills and valleys, sometimes giving you a view of the road a few miles ahead.
 | Narrow and curvy stretches define this stretch as you wind around the Pecatonica River, greeting many farms along the way. Hordes of cows often cluster close to the road; they rarely respond to people who yell "Mooooo!" out the window, but sometimes one gets lucky. |
| The rolling terrain is characteristic of this "Driftless Area" of Wisconsin, where views can stretch for miles. |  |
A crossing over the East Branch of the Pecatonica happens at Argyle (pop. 823), the largest town between Mount Horeb and Illinois along Highway 78. A Scotsman named Allen Wright founded the town in 1844, who named it after the Duke of Argyle. Here, Highway 78 intersects briefly with Highway 81 and crosses the river past the Argyle Power Plant into downtown. Turning north again, you'll spot an F-86 Sabrejet Aircraft. Perched at an altitude of about 8 feet above ground, this aircraft was delivered to the Air Force in 1955 and demilitarized in 1970. Colonel Amos Waage, an Argyle native, obtained the plane and dedicated it to all military personnel from the area.
 | The 2002-reconstructed bridge carrying Highways 78 & 81 into downtown Argyle blends nicely with the 1800-era power plant, where flour was milled using power from the East Branch of the Pecatonica River. |
| Hovering over a park, this F-86 Sabrejet serves as a dedication to local military personnel. It almost looks like you can walk up and touch it... and in fact, really tall people can. |  |
The next town is Blanchardville (pop. 806), whose downtown strip features a series of 1840s and 1850s-era structures nestled in a pleasant valley. Originally founded by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), it was named Zarahemla at first. Mormon settlers mined lead - a popular economic engine at the time - and built the first mill in 1840. A newbie named Alvin Blanchard moved to the area in 1856 and eventually platted a village that now bears his name.
Blanchardville hugs the northeast corner of Lafayette County, and as Highway 78 departs the village and heads through McPeace Valley, you also nick corners of Iowa and Green Counties before entering Dane County and heading into Daleyville.
 | Highway 78 climbs and descends a lot of hills as its makes its way across Lafayette County, affording nice views like this one just outside Blanchardville. |
| A large church near Daleyville, at one of many tight turns Highway 78 takes along this stretch. |  |
Through and past Daleyville, the Blue Mounds come into view to the north by northwest (with apologies to Alfred Hitchcock). At 1,719 feet above sea level, the western mound is the highest point in Wisconsin's southern half. Just after crossing the "new" U.S. 18/151, a 4-lane expressway connecting Madison with points west and southwest, Highway 78 reaches the "old" U.S. 18/151, now known as County ID. Right goes into Mount Horeb via Highway 78; left brings a good side trip involving mounds, hills, caves, skiing and Norwegians.
Brief side trip: Just west of Highway 78 and Mount Horeb on County ID are several terrific attractions. Skiing opportunities abound at Tyrol Basin (3487 Bahn Rd., 608-437-4135), where expert skiiers can enjoy the black diamond runs while beginners at skiing or snowboarding can try the Gentle Ben Progression Park, with "gentle" ways to immerse yourself and practice before taking on the bigger runs. If you prefer interior spaces, check out Cave of the Mounds (608-437-3038), which sat under the site of Dane County's first white settler but wasn't discovered until workers accidentally blasted into it in 1939 while quarrying limestone. Perpetually at 50 degrees, the cave features guided tours past crystal formations and stalagtites; you can also mine for gemstones or rise back to the surface to walk the nature trails or check out the rock gardens. Meanwhile, Little Norway offers well, a little taste of Norway. A beautiful setting and restored farm buildings compliment the Norway Building, built for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and modeled a Stavkirke, a 12th-century era Norse church. The exterior of the building features dragon heads on the gables, while the inside displays items like hand-carved skis, embroidered wall hangings and households objects with the carvings and detail that makes such items so interesting. |
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| Heading into Mount Horeb on Highway 78, alpacas and llamas were spotted, some available for sale. They're fun to look at, and seemed to enjoy the view on a nice, relaxing Saturday. |
Trollin' The Trollway. Mount Horeb (pop. 5,860 and "Troll Capital of the World") itself is a charming town with a strong Norwegian heritage. And trolls - lots of trolls. Trolls line the main street (which is called "The Trollway" and is part of Highway 78) and have names like the Chicken Thief, the Accordion Player, the Peddler and one called "Little Pisser" for reasons we won't get into. The Trollway is also home to a wide variety of shops and B&Bs.
Brewpub Alert. Just off the Trollway - and Highway 78 - is the Grumpy Troll. Their brews include the Amnesia Baltic Porter, which just won a Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup. That's just the latest in a long line of awards they've won, since previous awards have been bestowed upon their English Brown Ale, Trailside Wheat (probably named after the nearby Military Ridge Trail, I'll get confirmation on another visit), Norwegian Wit, Curly Scotch Ale, Spetsnaz Stout and Maggie Imperial IPA. It's also rated one of the 50 Best Brewpubs worldwide for 2008, a distinction held by only one other in Wisconsin. Growlers are a popular way to take the beers to go. They also have a $5 martini menu featuring items like the Cosmi-troll-itan and the I'm Just Happy To See You, which involves banana (inquire further when you go.) Tours are available by appointment by calling 608-437-2739.
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| Highway 78 is the main street through downtown Mt. Horeb; just off Highway 78 on Second Street is the Grumpy Troll, a great stop for local brew, sandwiches and occasionally some good bands. |
Does your back hurt? First tip: don't drive with your wallet in your back pocket... it can throw off your back's alignment. Second tip: a chiropractor might help, and Mount Horeb actually has the largest chiropractic clinic in the United States, the Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic. It's on the east side of town along Business U.S. 18 & 151, just past the roundabout on the east end of town where you also intersect Highway 92, which heads south towards Brooklyn - the Wisconsin one. Meanwhile, Highway 78 heads north again into some fun topography.
As you wind through the Vermont Valley and a series of hills, past quarries and expansive vistas, it's hard to believe you're in Dane County, with Madison's western sprawling growth only about ten miles to the east. There's not much that's manmade on this stretch, and although that will undoubtedly change in the coming years, it's a great drive right now.
  | Left: From the "You'll Never Know What You'll Find Along the State Trunk Tour" Dept: the Tin Man. He's got some mail for ya. Right: Between Mount Horeb and Black Earth, Highway 78 is nestled cozily in valleys and does a lot of twisting and turning, perfect for the bike or car. |
Eventually, you reach Black Earth (pop. 1,320). Renamed in the 1850s as "Farmersville" for a brief spell, in 1857 it was changed back to Black Earth and it became the second incorporated village in Dane County, after that one place called Madison. Highway 78 is basically the main street running up downtown Black Earth, with County KP serving as a main crossroad; it was the former path of U.S. Highway 14, which was rerouted further north several decades back. You reach U.S. 14 and The Shoe Box, the largest shoe store in the Midwest and one of the largest shoe stores in the country - over 300,000 pairs are regularly in stock. Step inside and there's room after room with shoes everywhere. There's also more references to baseball than you can shake a boot at. Steve Schmitt, the owner, is not only a passionate St. Louis Cardinals fan, but the owner of the Madison Mallards, a Northwoods League team that plays at Warner Park on the north side of Madison along Highway 113. So if you're into both shoes and baseball, this place is like Disneyland.
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| Left: The oldest cooperative in the nation started in Black Earth, resulting in a store for farmers that opened in 1894 and lasted exactly 100 years. Right: The Shoe Box. Don't think you can pass this place any females are involved with your State Trunk Tour trip at this point. By the way, Aaron and Liz, congrats wherever you are. |
Highway 78 follows U.S. 14 west out of Black Earth for just a few miles and turns northeast. This happens just before Mazomanie, right at a popular baseball and bikers' bar called Rookies. If you thought a baseball theme was noticeable back at the Show Box, you won't believe its presence at Rookies. Sports memorabilia is here in incredible abundance. Check this out: |
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Upper deck: Highway 78 turns off U.S. 14 and Highway 19 starts right at Rookies, just east of Mazomanie. This view is from their parking lot. Turn around, and you see a mini-baseball field, used for whiffleball, with a great ballpark look and a rather nice view behind it. Lower deck: The bar is in the front, the restaurant (pictured) is in the back and the men's bathroom (right) could keep you in there for hours, for the right reasons. I was going to check out the women's restroom but thought better of it eventually. |
From this point, Highway 19 begins and runs along with Highway 78 for about a mile before breaking east across Dane County towards Sun Prairie and, eventually, Watertown. Meanwhile, Highway 78 heads north again, where the influence of the Wisconsin River begins to show. Some lowlands line the area to the west and there's good access to hunting grounds. Eventually, you hit U.S. Highway 12, now a full 4-lane highway coming in from Madison. Highway 78 joins U.S. 12 to cross the river.
***BYPASS ALERT*** |
With U.S. 12, Highway 78 crosses the Wisconsin River into Sauk City (pop. 3,019), Wisconsin's oldest incorporated village (1854) and site of the first Culver's restaurant ever (1984). Culver's headquarters, meanwhile, is in Prairie du Sac. Don't ever question putting butter on a burger around here. Sauk City and its neighbor, Prairie du Sac (pop. 3,231), are essentially twin cities and collectively the area is called Sauk Prairie. Highway 78 splits from U.S. 12 and goes through the heart of both towns combined with Highway 60 along the Wisconsin River's western bank. This is Eagle Country, where bald eagles - and maybe even some with hair - can be regularly spotted.
 | The Wisconsin River at Prairie du Sac features great fishing, scenic terrain and good eagle-watching. |
| Sauk City's downtown features several sports bars, including the Press Box - illustrated quite vividly on its facade. |  |
After Highway 60 breaks away and heads east toward Lodi, Highway 78 continues northeast, following a mile or two off the Wisconsin River in the Sauk County countryside. Just to the northwest in much of this area is the Badger Army Ammunition Plant, the largest of its kind in the world when it was constructed in 1941-1942. It provided thousands upon thousands of jobs in wartime, from World War II through Korea and Vietnam. Everything from rocket propellant, smokeless powder and gun powder protection to testing for weapons and chemicals took place at Badger. The U.S. Army declared Badger to be excess to its needs in 1997, and is being split among six parties ranging from the Ho-Chunk Nation to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the State Department of Transportation, which will use some acreage to straighten out some of Highway 78's sharper curves in this area in 2009. |
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Great access to Devil's Lake State Park (608-356-8301) can be found just up Highway 113, which comes in from Baraboo. Devil's Lake has over 1.2 million visitors every year, and why not? It features spectacular landforms and phenomenal hiking, biking, fishing, rock climbing, camping and more across its almost 10,000-acre landscape. Right: Devil's Lake State Park, just off Highway 78 via Highway 113 north, offers spectacular scenery and a ton of things to do, much of which involves rocks. Highway 78 heads straight east to Merrimac (pop. 416) and the Merrimac Ferry, the last remaining ferry on the State Trunk Highway system. The Merrimac Ferry began as a toll ferry in 1924, becoming free in 1933. It has been ever since. The Colsac III, launched in 2003, is the third boat (hence the "III") to serve this run and can accommodate 15 cars at a time. Expect a pretty hefty line during summer weekend days, especially in August. They'll take care of you, though: vendors offer ice cream and other ways to enjoy the day, even when you have to sit and wait. The Merrimac Ferry generally runs from about April 15 through the end of November. You can always call them at (608) 246-3871 to check availability and wait times. |  |
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| Left: Highway 78 heads through Merrimac, with the Merrimac Ferry accessible a few blocks south along Highway 113. Center: A family awaits the ferry on the Merrimac side. You can drive your car onto the ferry to head across, or simply tag along as a pedestrian. The round trip takes about 14 minutes.Right: The Colsac III on its run toward the Columbia County side of the river. This is actually part of Highway 113, just south of the junction with Highway 78. |
Past Merrimac, you can access Devil's Head Ski Resort, which offers great skiing and golfing. Unlike the Merrimac Ferry, though, it's not free. Highway 78 winds around a lot at this point, and farms are plentiful. You enter Columbia County along this stretch, with the Baraboo Range to your north and northwest. It's a nice view as you head toward the three interstates that await you.
 | Highway 78 requires frequent use of the steering wheel as you wind along the edge of the Baraboo Range. |
| One of my favorite animals along any State Trunk Tour. We named him Wolfgang. Here he his posing for a picture, saying, "Dude, are ya done with the pictures? I'm tryin' to graze here..." |  |
 | As seen along many state highways, old buildings that once served as farms, houses or outbuildings, deserted years ago, are being overtaken by nature once again. |
| Highway 78 ends when it meets I-39/90/94 just short of Portage. This is a major crossroads, and you can get quick access to a ton of other places from this interchange. |  |
Highway 78 used to continue north into Portage to meet U.S. 51. When I-39 was designated in the 1990s, though, they pulled the north end back to the interchange with I-90/94. There's a massive Petro at this interchange, where there's trucks a'plenty 24 hours a day. You can reach faraway places quickly, what with quick access to three interstates. You also have quick access to skiing at Cascade Mountain, just to the west, and everything in Portage, just by continuing north. Via the freeways, Madison is only 40 minutes away, Milwaukee's an hour and 45 minutes, Wausau is less than 2 hours and the Wisconsin Dells are only about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Total Mileage: 93 miles
Average MPG in the Ford Escape Hybrid: 32.6 MPG
CONNECTIONS:
North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: I-39, I-90, I-94
Can connect nearby to: U.S. Highway 51, about 4 miles north; Highway 16, about 5 miles north; Highway 33, about 2 miles north
South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Illinois Highway 78
Can connect nearby to: Highway 11, about 7 miles north
Upcoming events in places along Highway 78:
Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw, Prairie du Sac, September 3-4, 2010
Thirsty Troll Brew Fest, Mount Horeb, September 11, 2010
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Best Western |
