Best of the Driftless

1. Elroy-Sparta State Bike Trail

The nation’s first rail-trail runs 32.5 miles along an old railroad line between Elroy and Sparta. Three centuryold railroad tunnels are a highlight of the trail, which is a relatively flat and easy ride or walk on crushed limestone. elroyspartatrail.com

2. Ontario

The Canoe Capital of the Kickapoo is home to a handful of liveries that rent canoes and kayaks for paddling trips on the Kickapoo River. Try Drifty’s, driftyscanoerental.net; Kickapoo Wild Adventures, kickapoowild .com; or Titanic Canoe Rental, titaniccanoerental.com, for your paddling adventure.

3. Wildcat Mountain State Park

Perched on a hill above the Kickapoo River south of Ontario, this scenic state park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails, 15 miles of trails for horseback riding and dozens of campsites, including 20 hike-in sites. dnr.wi.gov

4. Kickapoo Valley Reserve

This 8,600-acre reserve protects a segment of the Kickapoo River and has hiking, biking and horsebackriding trails set among the area’s rolling hills. kvr.state.wi.us

5. Soldiers Grove

Instead of building a dam or levee to stave off floods, the Main Street district decided to move. Businesses relocated to higher ground in new energy-efficient, solar-powered buildings, which earned the community the moniker of the nation’s first solar village. soldiersgrove.com

6. Wyalusing State Park

This 2,700-acre state park, one of Wisconsin’s oldest, overlooks the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Wyalusing has more than 14 miles of hiking trails, as well as Indian burial mounds and a canoe trail. dnr.wi.gov