David Link
Tour the Brew City with the best Milwaukee motorcycle rides from REVER. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is a city with a rich history of culture, industry and, of course, brewing. Milwaukee is also home to the icon that is Harley-Davidson. Their famous bikes are still manufactured in the city where the company was founded in 1903. We've selected scenic motorcycle rides around Milwaukee that take you out of the city into the Wisconsin countryside. All you need to do is gas up and select a route below.
Navigate the scenic hills and rivers around Milwaukee with ease when you download the REVER App. it is free to join and get started, and you can open epic rides all over the world right away. Or you can track and share your favorite routes with a vibrant and ever-growing riding community. Better yet, power up your rides with an upgrade to REVER Pro. Just a few bucks a month unlocks premium features like mobile route planning, turn by turn and voice navigation, live radar and weather alerts and so much more. You even get access to a world of Pro Perks including discounted motorcycle rentals if you want to do a fly then ride trip.
Because of Milwaukee’s proximity to Lake Michigan, weather around the city can change rapidly. This can create especially hot temps inland from the lake in the summer. Prepare for the humid Wisconsin summers with hot weather gear like breathable apparel, hydration packs and headwear. The summer also brings frequent thunderstorms, so keep an eye on those weather alerts. You’ll definitely want to pack some rain gear away for this season. In the winter, the infamous lake effect snow and brutal cold will shut down most rides.
Your visit to Milwaukee should absolutely start with a tour of the Harley-Davidson Museum. Located on a beautiful 20 acre campus, the museum chronicles the storied history of the true American icon. Plan your visit around events like bike night concerts, demo ride days or the Hometown Rally over the Labor Day weekend. Aside from exploring the history of Milwaukee Thunder, you'll want to check out Milwaukee's rich brewing culture as well. Explore the golden age with a tour of the classic Pabst Mansion Built by the family that started Pabst Blue Ribbon, or see modern state of the art brewing facilities with a tour of the Miller Brewery. Craft breweries are alive and well in Milwaukee too, so head over to places like Lakefront Brewery, Sprecher Brewing Co., Milwaukee Brewing Co., MobCraft Beer and so much more. Finally, don't forget to party with the tailgaters at American Family Field, home of the Brewers and one of the few MLB stadiums with a rich tailgating tradition.
Explore the Driftless Area and the Wisconsin River west of Milwaukee on this near two hour point A to B ride. The Driftless Area is a region in parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois that never received glaciation like other parts of the Midwest. While the Midwest is often associated with flat plains and gentle, rolling hills, the Driftless Area feels like a completely different part of the country. Steep ridges and rugged river valleys make for great motorcycle rides around Milwaukee, and there are scenic forests and waterfalls to explore as well. In addition, fishermen will love the trophy walleye and muskie fishing. We'll start this ride in Madison, WI, which is a little over an hour ride west from Milwaukee. Once there, ride around Lake Mendota as the ride kicks off on Route 14 west of Middleton, WI. You'll stay on 14 for about half the ride. The Free House Pub off Parmenter Street is a good place to grab lunch before you begin. Leave the Madison area behind for the countryside as you ride by the Black Earth Creek Wildlife Area. Cruise through Cross Plains, WI as 14 turns northwest towards Mazomanie, WI.
Once you pass through Mazomanie, the forested hills typical in the Driftless Area start to surround the highway. Soon after, you'll pass over the Wisconsin River into Spring Green, WI, one of the small town gems in the Driftless Area. There are a few detour opportunities here if you want to explore the area. First, you can check out the banks of the Wisconsin River and stretch your legs at Tower Hill State Park. This rugged park along the Wisconsin was also the site of a primitive bullet factory. Next, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright chose the limestone bluffs around Spring Green for his home known as Taliesin, and it's just a short drive south of Spring Green. Just a little farther south from Taliesin, the quirky House On The Rock is another architectural site in the area. Even if you're not interested in architecture, this is a great stretch of road to ride. Back in Spring Green, there is a little 50's diner called Rumble Seats that is a solid stop for food. Plus you might catch a car show or rally here on the weekends. Continue west on 14 along the river bluffs to Lone Rock, WI, and then follow the Wisconsin River northwest to Gotham, WI. Watch for a left onto Highway 60 to stay on the route.
This next section along Highway 60 is an amazing stretch as the road winds through high river bluffs right along the Wisconsin River. Enjoy the snaking curves along the river to Orion, WI. Just south of the river over the bridge here is Muscoda, WI, and you can take a quick detour into town to check out the Harley-themed Sportsman's Lounge And Supper Club. Otherwise keep cruising west on Highway 60 along the river. After Westport, WI, there is another scenic section through the hills to look forward to on the ride. Turn left at the junction with Highway 61 for many more miles of winding highway sandwiched between the river and the high bluffs. Once you pass through Boydtown, WI, 60 will leave the Wisconsin River for a bit to meet up with the Kickapoo River. Ride just north of the maze of river bottoms to the south here, and Highway 60 will end at Bridgeport. Turn right on the Great River Road / Highway 35 for the last stretch into Prairie du Chien. This historic city along the Mississippi was founded way back in 1685 as a French fur trading settlement. A great place to end the ride is St. Feriole Island Park right next to the Mississippi. You can look for a left onto Blackhawk Avenue off the Great River Road. The Dousman Hotel was built here on the island in 1864 as a luxury hotel for steamboats and rail passengers. The nearby rail depot is even older, and today is a bar and grill where you can grab a meal right by the river.
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Tour the central region of the Wisconsin Driftless Area in this near three hour loop along several of Wisconsin's “alphabet” county roads. Interestingly enough, Wisconsin was the first place in the nation that numbered its highways. This helped travelers avoid confusion on a previously unorganized network of roads. Soon after the County Trunk Highways, or lettered county roads, followed the numbering system, and the letter chosen for each road was usually just the first letter in the old road's name. So there you have it, that is why Wisconsin has so many lettered roads. What you will get with Wisconsin's County Trunk Highways is a lot of winding roads and rural scenery. So with that in mind, you'll start this ride in Hillsboro, WI, which is a couple hours northwest of Milwaukee. If you're in need of food before you head out, check out Hillsboro Brewing Co. for wings or a burger in a massive old milk factory. Then take Highway 82 west to Dilly, WI, and look for a right turn onto County Road P. You'll ride right into the rugged Driftless Area country that makes this a top ride in the area.
County Road P joins up with Highway 131 with a left as you enter the Kickapoo Valley Natural Area. The Kickapoo River runs through the valley here, and the meandering river is surrounded by bluffs and sheer cliffs. This area is a canoeing paradise, and you'll certainly want to grab a paddle if you have time. For an extra detour, if you take Highway 131 north to Wildcat Mountain State Park, you can hike along the rugged bluffs above the Kickapoo. Otherwise continue south on 131, and there is a cool biker stop in the Rockton Bar in Rockton, WI. South of Rockton, look for a right to stay onto County Road P and cruise another remote section of the Kickapoo Valley. There is camping available in this area as well. Eventually you'll leave the river behind and ride northwest. Stay on County Road P with a left as it shares a section with County Road D. Up next, County Road P runs into Highway 27. Take a right and then a quick left to stay on P. Another scenic hilly section awaits as you ride by the Eureka Maple Woods Natural Area. County Road P ends in Coon Valley, WI, and you'll take a right onto Route 14 to continue.
Once through Coon Valley, watch for a left onto Highway 162. You'll pass through the small community of Chaseburg, WI, and take County Road K for a short jaunt north until continuing west on 162. Cruise a little river valley until you meet up with the Mississippi River at Stoddard, WI. In town, Rocky's Supper Club is a good place to stop for a famous Wisconsin fish fry. When you're finished in Stoddard, backtrack a bit on 162, and take a right on County Road O. This is a fun little remote section through the hills to begin the second half of the ride. County Road O will eventually turn south at a junction with County Road Y, but stay straight to continue east on County Road Y. Runge Hollow Recreation Area ahead offers a good chance to stretch your legs along the lake. After the park, you'll leave the hills behind for a stretch and enter farm country dotted by wineries. Stay on County Road Y through the valley, and then enter back into hilly country along the Seas Branch River. At Avalanche, WI, take the right onto County Road S to follow the West Fork of the Kickapoo River for a few miles. When you reach the junction with Highway 82, turn left to keep riding east.
Highway 82 follows a little valley through the hills for another scenic section into La Farge, WI. If you want to take a quick detour, you can cruise 131 north out of town to check out the Kickapoo Valley Reserve park center and gift shop. Otherwise you'll stay on Highway 82 east through the Bear Creek Valley. Once you reach White City, WI, one more “alphabet road” is on the route in County Road V. Take a right off 82 in White City to continue on east. At the junction with Highway 80, hang a left to ride back north into Hillsboro and wrap the ride. If you didn't before, this is a great time to relax at Hillsboro Brewing Co. after this great route through the central Driftless Area.
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The Driftless Area really is an amazing place to ride in Wisconsin west of Milwaukee, and we've got one more hour and a half loop through the hills. We'll begin in West Salem, WI, which is a fairly long ride from Milwaukee on Interstate 90. All the more reason to make a weekend of it for this ride! If you need to eat before you head out, we recommend Big Boar Barbecue off of I-90 Alternate / Highway 16. Just outside of town, you'll see Neshonoc Lake off to the east, and look for the left onto Highway 108. The historic village of Neshonoc is here, and you'll also cross over the La Crosse River next to the dam. You won't stay on 108 very long. Hang another left onto County Road C to ride north into the hills. A challenging little section through the Mindoro Cut lies ahead, and you'll even have to tackle a couple switchbacks through the Driftless Area hills. The towering rock bluffs that surround the road are definitely something to see. Stay on County Road C through Mindoro, WI, and then bear east for a short stretch on County Road T until you take another left to stay on County Road C north. Snake through the hills and then watch for a left onto Young Road. Up next, take the left onto County Road Q, and then hang a right onto County Road VV shortly after.
County Road VV will take you into the Black River Valley. This river is known for its muskie, northern pike, walleye, bass and catfish fishing opportunities. It is also a popular canoeing river in the area. VV will cross over the Black River, and you'll take an immediate left onto Hall Road to explore the riverbed just north of the Half Moon Bottoms area. You can also take a short detour into North Bend, WI for lunch along the river at the North Bend Canoe Bar. Back on Hall Road, ride through the rolling hills along the river, and then hang a left onto Highway 54 to continue the route. Once Highway 54 winds along the top of a ridge, look for the left onto River Drive. This beautiful little section follows a high ridge in the area and then traces more of the Black River. You'll jump back on Highway 54 for a short stretch afterward, and take the left onto County Road AA to ride south back for more river views. Turn left on Highway 53 to cross over the Black River, and then watch for another left onto County Road T to start the second half of the loop.
Follow County Road T through the farmland until you hit Stevenstown, WI, and then snake through the hills over Fleming Creek. Stay on County Road T for a couple more miles until you take a right on County Road M. Farmland will once again change to hilly county as you ride south on County Road M. Keep an eye out for a left to stay on County Road M /Jostad Coulee Road south. One last scenic section remains as County Road M heads back into West Salem next to the fairgrounds. You'll arrive back at I-90 to finish the ride.
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"You don't stop riding when you get old, you get old when you stop riding."
― Anonymous
50% Labor Day "Flash Sale"
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