Drive Rustic Road 54, keeping the sun ahead, for red-accented scenery
Here's a photographer's trick for maximizing fall color. When you're driving on a north-south road, travel in the southerly direction. That way, morning or afternoon, the sun is behind the leaves, making them glow as it streams through. (Facing north, the same scene appears flat.) Photographers call it "backlight" and the effect on foliage is dramatic.
For that reason, a drive through cranberry country in Jackson and Monroe counties is best begun at the northernmost point of North Settlement Road, where it intersects with State Highway 54. You'll be about a dozen miles from Black River Falls.
Look for a brown and yellow sign telling you that North Settlement is Rustic Road 54. This is one of the 107 designated roads in Wisconsin's Rustic Road system. As you head south, you'll plunge immediately into the Black River State Forest, and for the next 12 miles hardwoods and pines will swish past your windows waving a palette of yellow, green, orange, and red.
When the forest starts to open after the first three miles, watch for a turnout on your right at the crest of the first hill. This is the Dike 17 Wildlife Area, 3,700 acres of flowage, much of it a wildlife refuge. Park your car and walk the sandy quarter-mile path to the wooden tower visible from the parking lot, and climb its 40 steps. Don't be surprised to see sandhill cranes or a flock of geese from its stunning 360-degree panorama.
Continue south for another five miles and stop at Wildcat Trails, one of the state forest trailheads. Choose your route and hike or mountain bike through the woods. A $4 fee for mountain bikers covers daily use, $15 gives you access to all state trails for a calendar year.
About three miles further south, you'll find Pigeon Creek Campground. As you stroll the nature trail or enjoy a picnic on the sandy beach, imagine the sight of a single flock of passenger pigeons that nested in this area during the 19th century. Think big: Their flocks could measure a mile wide and take hours to pass overhead.
A mile after the campground, a left on County Highway O brings you toward County Highway EW and Warrens. The Cranberry Discovery Center on Main Street houses a museum where you can catch up on your cranberry history and carries an array of cranberry goods like jam, wine, sweatshirts, and cookbooks. Don't miss Berry Amish across the street, with its handcrafted furniture. Owners Shelly and David Moake have worked with the Amish for 36 years.
The best roads for cranberry viewing run east of Warrens. Try Highway EW or HH. October is harvest time, and with red berries floating in blue water against autumn's low rolling hills, the sight is one you won't soon forget.
When You Go:
Berry Amish, 205 Main St., Warrens; (608) 378-3409.
Black River State Forest, Wildcat Trails, 910 Hwy. 54 E, Black River Falls; (715) 284-4103.
Cranberry Discovery Center, 204 Main St., Warrens; (608) 378-4878.
Pigeon Creek Campground, E 910 State Rd. 54, Black River Falls; (715) 284-1400.
Don't Miss:
- The 36th annual Warrens Cranberry Festival is Sept. 26-28. Expect upwards of 110,000 people to descend on this tiny town (population 275) and plan accordingly. Cranberry harvest typically begins in October, coinciding nicely with peak fall color.
- Free tours at Sand Creek Brewing Company every Friday and Saturday. Call for times. 320 Pierce St.,Black River Falls; (715) 284-7553.
- For a great supper club experience, try The Old Rustic Mill, less than two miles west of Black River Falls. The mill was built in 1866 and you can hear the waterfall that once turned the wheel as soon as you get out of the car. The interior is warm, dark, and inviting. Steak and seafood feature prominently on the menu. N5491 Hwy. 54, Black River Falls; (715) 284-4913.
Bob Rashid photographed the book Wisconsin's Rustic Roads: A Road Less Traveled. He is finishing work on his fourth book, People of the Sturgeon.
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