Wisconsin Rustic Roads Motorcycle Tour

Wisconsin DOT has a program where they select old farm roads that they feel are scenic and designate them as rustic roads.  If you drive them on your motorcycle and take a picture of your bike in front of the road marker and submit them you will receive official recognition from the state.  If you send in 10 pictures you get a patch, if you send in 25 you get a certificate.

A few years back I took my Kawasaki Zephyr 550 out a few times and got enough pictures for a patch.

The first trip was to the Lake Geneva area which has 4 rustic roads and up to grab 2 more near Burlington.

Rustic Road 11
Location:  Walworth County. To the east of Lake Geneva, R-11 includes South Road, Steel Road, Spring Valley Road and Knob Hill Road between WIS 50 and WIS 36. The route adjoins R-12 and R-36.
Length:  10.3 miles
Surface:  Paved
This gently winding route provides excellent views of glacial Kettle Moraine topography. R-11 passes through large wooded areas of oak, maple and hickory, with glimpses of a game farm and scenic agricultural land.

Rustic Road 12
Location:  Walworth County. This route includes Back Road, Sheridan Springs Road, Spring Valley Road and Church Road, between WIS 50 and WIS 36 adjoining R-11 and R-36.
Length:  5.7 miles
Surface:  Paved
At various points the road offers panoramic views of lush green hills and valleys. The sharply curving route passes outstanding Kettle Moraine formations, pine and spruce plantations, a tamarack swamp and several ponds. R-12 crosses the White River and runs through the community of Lyons with its several quaint churches.

This is the worst looking picture but Snake road is probably the best motorcycle road within 2 hours of Chicago.  I found someone's partial run on youtube.


Rustic Road 29
Location:  Walworth County. Snake Road, from the intersection with WIS 50 in the city of Lake Geneva, west to the intersection with WIS 50 in the town of Geneva.
Length:  2.7 miles
Surface:  Paved
This loop is located in a countryside of natural beauty. Bounded in some places by split rail fencing, R-29 passes through an area of native vegetation and wildlife near Lake Geneva that is particularly beautiful in autumn.

Rustic Road 36
Location:  Walworth County. Includes Cranberry Road and Berndt Road east from WIS 50, adjoining R-11 and R-12.
Length:  3.6 miles
Surface:  Paved and gravel
This narrow, hilly route got its name from early settlers who harvested cranberries from nearby marshes. R-36 winds through Wisconsin farmland, glacial marshes and knobs. It features a wide variety of trees and shrubs.

Rustic Road 85
Location:  Walworth County. Includes portions of Kearney and Potter Roads, forming a loop off County DD in the town of Spring Prairie.
Length:  2.5 miles
Surface:  Paved
Potter Road runs adjacent to winding Sugar Creek as both pass through Nature Conservancy forests and wetlands. The steeply glaciated uplands of Kearney Road include a mix of farmlands and pine woodlots.

Rustic Road 2
Location:  Racine County. North from Burlington along Honey Lake Road, Maple Lane and Heritage Road to County Highway D. Continuing north along Maple Drive to WIS 83.
Length:  7.9 miles
Surface:  Paved
Under a canopy of trees, this route provides vistas of rolling fields and dairy farms. There is a marsh with waterfowl, muskrat houses and other wildlife in the Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve.


Then I went to the Fort Atkinson area which has 3 rustic roads, the National Dairy Shrine and the Nasco educational/farm supply.  I checked out the museum and Nasco and ended up with an emergency call from work and some rain started to threaten and I ended up not being able to find R88 or R84  but I did get R87 on the way into town.

Rustic Road 87
Location:  Jefferson County. Includes portions of Creamery, McIntyre, Poeppel and Pond Roads from US 12 to WIS 26.
Length:  6.8 miles
Surface:  Paved
R-87 winds through hilly, active farmland interspersed with canopies of trees. Deer, wild turkey, cranes and hawks are frequently seen. The route also features a family cherry orchard and the historic South Koshkonong Cemetery. Mustang Ranch, the only riding stable in the country that features once-wild mustangs is nearby.




I now needed just 3 more roads for a patch so I headed back Burlington and Watertown to finish up.

Rustic Road 25
Location:  Racine County. Oak Knoll Road from County DD to its junction with County D.
Length:  2.6 miles
Surface:  Paved
Adjacent to the Honey Creek Wildlife area, this road passes the Franklyn Hazelo Home (c. 1858), listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rustic Road 42
Location:  Racine County. Hoosier Creek, Wheatland and Brever Roads between County Highway JB and WIS 142.
Length:  5.7 miles
Surface:  Paved
A canopy of large oak and black walnut trees grace Wheatland Road, just south of WIS 142. Travelers to this area will enjoy the open agricultural and marsh vistas as well as an old brick farmhouse and several barns. Hoosier Creek Road is a half-mile away from the Fox River, providing fishing areas and panoramic views.
NOTE: FOR SAFETY REASONS, HOOSIER CREEK ROAD (NEAR COUNTY JB) IS CLOSED AT THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND IS NO LONGER A CONTINUOUS NORTH-SOUTH ROUTE.

  This is my favorite rustic road picture, it is the epitome of a rustic road in my mind.

Rustic Road 5
Location:  Racine County. Loomis Road beginning at WIS 164, north to Fries Lane and the intersection of Fries Lane and WIS 36.
Length:  3.1 miles
Surface:  Paved
Loomis Road was originally laid out as a territorial road in 1840 and retains much of its original rustic lines. This route passes Col. Heg Memorial Park, which commemorates Wisconsin’s top-ranking officer killed in action during the Civil War. A museum in the park honors the heritage of the area’s Norwegian settlers and their contribution to Wisconsin’s development. There is also a small log cabin, built in 1837, then moved to the park in 1928.


I e-mailed in a zip of my pictures and a few weeks later I got one of these.  If you would like more info please visit the WI Rustic Roads Website.