Driftless

Ridge State Trail. An access trail provides access to the 40-mile trail that runs east through Blue Mounds and Mount Horeb on its way to Madison.

I opted for a hike on the short Stephens Falls trail to see its small namesake waterfall before getting back on the road east to Blue Mounds.

There Blue Mound State Park also provides access to the trail as well as two observation towers for taking in views from the highest point in southern Wisconsin. A handful of trails circle and climb the mound, making for a good hiking workout.

It’s also a climb to get into the main part of the park, but there are some hike- and bike-in sites off the trail that don’t require as much of a climb (although you still need to check in at the park office on top of the hill).

Blue Mounds is also home to Cave of the Mounds, a National Natural Landmark and a gem that every Wisconsinite needs to visit at least once.

A guided tour takes visitors on a series of paved walkways through the limestone cavern and its beautiful stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations.

From Blue Mounds it’s about five miles east along the Military Ridge trail to Mount Horeb and the not-at-all-grumpy Grumpy Troll. The brewpub offers a pub menu downstairs, wood-fired pizza upstairs and a wide selection of beers on both floors. Better yet, it’s only a block from the trail.

Two days of biking and hiking called for a pizza all to myself, enjoyed with live music from a country-western band.

The last time I ate, drank and was grumpy, I met a guy who was riding his motorcycle through the region, something he said he did whenever the weather was nice.

Even when it’s not, the region and its scattering of trails, parks and small towns makes for a great road trip.