🏍️ Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive: A Must-Do Fall Ride

For a broad, immersive fall experience, few rides rival the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, a 115-mile loop linking various units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.  This route threads through six counties and offers rolling hills, sweeping curves, glacial landforms, and multiple viewsides perfect for stopping to soak in color.

Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive

What to look for along the way:

  • Green acorn signs mark the turns and help you stay on route. 

  • Zig-Zag section: Starting near Highway 23 in Greenbush, this fun winding stretch (~20 miles) lets you really dance through elevation changes and forest scenery. 

  • Parnell Observation Tower: A short detour and hike can give you panoramic views of rolling hills painted in autumn tones. 

  • Henry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center: A good stop for rest, exhibits on glacial geology, and nearby trails. 

  • Historic & cultural spots: Old World Wisconsin, Sylvanus Wade House, Holy Hill—they all sit close enough to the route for detours and breaks.

Parnell Tower

Because of its terrain, this route is more engaging in fall—elevation changes, curves, forest cover, and hidden valleys make for intimate views and surprises at every bend.

Learn about the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive

 

Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive