City Escape: Milwaukee

When selecting a route near Milwaukee, it often pays to follow the hometown iron. Highway 67 is very popular with Milwaukee Harley riders, as they take this twisting route through Kettle Moraine State Forest. A bonus is the small town of Eagle, which offers various pub and grill establishments and a gas station. While traversing 67 in the state forest, look for green and white (“Kettle Moraine Scenic Route”) and brown and yellow (“Rustic Road”) signs that indicate good side roads. By riding 67 through Eagle on your way out and 59 through Eagle on the way back to Milwaukee, you can sample both of these twisting roads and “do the Double Eagle.”

Length

Approximately 140 miles

Meet-up Spot

Wisconsin Harley-Davidson, 1280 Blue Ribbon Dr, Oconomowoc, WI

Lunch Stop

In addition to bike parking, a dining room, and saloon, Suhmer’s Saloon and Eatery has a corral for four-legged transport. Find it at 201 Kettle Moraine Dr, Eagle, WI, (262) 594-3006.

Scenery (4 out of 5)

In the state forest, old-growth timber, glacial drumlins, swamps, and flooded marshes are the norm. The rest of the route is primarily farm country interspersed with lakes and the occasional small town crossroads.

Traffic (3 out of 5)

Four-wheel traffic is sparse, but on weekends two-wheeled groups ranging from 10 to 40 riders can often be encountered. Watch your speed leaving Eagle on 67.

Difficulty (3 out of 5)

The northern portion of 67 before you reach Eagle has tight corners and plenty of hills. The rest of the route offers higher speed pavement on rolling terrain.

Road Conditions (2.5 out of 5)

Most of the roads are in decent shape. Only County Road E south of Concord shows signs that a repave will be needed soon.

Points of Interest

Old World Wisconsin
This turn-of-the-century reenactment farm provides a glimpse into life on a pioneer Wisconsin homestead. Demonstrations of 1880s trades such as blacksmithing, shoemaking, and bicycle repair occur daily. The farm keeps cattle and you are invited to test your hand at farm chores. If you catch the right day, the Eagle Diamonds historic barehand baseball team may be active on the museum grounds. Finish off your visit with lunch at the Clausing Barn Café located in a restored octagonal barn.

Walworth County Fairgrounds
The fairgrounds in downtown Elkhorn boast one of the last active cushion half-mile racetracks in the country. Mark your calendar for the annual events when the AMA or Vintage Flat Track steel-shoe jockeys put on the “Best Show On Dirt.”

Aztalan State Park
Aztalan State Park is a National Historic Landmark containing one of Wisconsin’s most important archaeological sites: an ancient Middle-Mississippian village that flourished between A.D. 1000 and 1300. Opened year-round, visitors can learn more at the Aztalan Museum, just north of the park.