The region of Southwest Wisconsin is in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Regions
Baraboo River Valley
Coulee Region
Greater Madison Area
Green County
Rock County
Southern Wisconsin River Valley
Dodge County
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{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Coulee Region|wikidata=Q500871, Q501587, Q932966}}
{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Greater Madison Area|wikidata=Q502200, Q372796, Q500958, Q493529}}
{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Dodge County|wikidata=Q372796}}
{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Green County|wikidata=Q489163}}
{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Rock County|wikidata=Q500939}}
{{mapshape|type=geoshape|fill=|title=Southern Wisconsin River Valley|wikidata=Q431440, Q501582, Q500977, Q501596, Q494899}}
Cities
- Beloit - city along the Wisconsin/Illinois border
- Baraboo - charming city with circus roots and natural wonders in the Baraboo River Valley
- Janesville - "Wisconsin's Park Place" on the Rock River
- La Crosse - city along the Mississippi River and home to unique topography
- Madison - capital of Wisconsin and home to the University of Wisconsin's flagship campus
- Prairie du Sac - considered, along with its neighboring city, Sauk City, to be the 'gateway to the Lower Wisconsin River'
- Spring Green - home of architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the mysterious House on the Rock.
- Stoughton - unique suburb of Madison with Norwegian Heritage
- Wisconsin Dells - a major tourist draw focused on natural and man-made attractions
- Columbus : A small town on the eastern edge of Columbia County.
- Beaver Dam : Beaver Dam is named after an old beaver dam created on the river.
Other destinations
Understand
Locally, the region is referred to as being one of two separate regions: South Central Wisconsin or Southwestern Wisconsin. South Central Wisconsin is anchored around Madison, while Southwestern Wisconsin is much more rural and is anchored around La Crosse and the Mississippi River.
Get in
Southwest Wisconsin is most easily accessible by I-90 (from Rockford or LaCrosse), I-94 (from Milwaukee or Eau Claire), US 151 (from Dubuque, IA or Appleton) or US 12 and 14. I-43 terminates in Beloit. Madison is served by a regional airport. Portage, Columbus, and Wisconsin Dells have daily Amtrak service.
Get around
Much of Southwest Wisconsin is only accessible by car but can be reached relatively easily from the interstates or US 151. Madison, Janesville and Beloit have local public transportation systems as well.
See
- Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center, 43.73757°, -90.98888°. Located 3 miles north of Coon Valley. Open year-round, Norskedalen is set amidst 440 acres of wooded coulee along Poplar Creek and has over 6 miles of trails making it a great place to experience the beauty of the driftless region of Wisconsion. Norskedalen also preserves the heritage of the area with guided tours of an authentic, fully furnished, 1880s pioneer log farmstead, built by the Norwegian immigrants to the area and a museum. There are also special events throughout the year.
Itineraries
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