April 19th: Driftless Wisconsin Ride; The Buena Vista Route!

One of our favorite rides in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin is the Buena Vista Route!

Renee and I have ridden extensively in Wisconsin and most of our riding has been in the Driftless Area. The Buena Vista Route is one of our favorite rides because of the great mix of amazing roads and interesting sights.

The paved Buena Vista Route is named for Alma’s Buena Vista Park, which is not only a great place to stop and stretch, it also features the largest natural balcony overlooking the Mississippi River. Visitors can watch barges traveling up and down the river and locking through Lock & Dam #4, or just take in the amazing views of the entire river valley. Although the park is one of the major attractions on this route, the roads are the real reason to visit the area. The geography along the Mississippi River consists of high bluffs and deep, secluded valleys. Many of the roads connecting the various towns and villages follow the contours of the land which results in a roller coaster type of ride in several areas.

As you travel farther northeast away from the Mississippi River, the hills are not as steep and the land opens up to rolling countryside. Here you encounter longer sweeping corners and more straight sections. Because of the wide variety of road types, this route truly has something for everyone. The Buena Vista Route is one of our all time favorites. It has a lot of the small, secluded roads that we personally enjoy and it also has some great sights and attractions to visit along the way.