We’re blessed in Wisconsin with some truly lovely stretches of highway where you’re the only car on the road for miles and there’s nothing but great views and beautiful scenery around you. Whether you’re up in the Northwoods or down in the Driftless area, there are plenty of options for getting “lost” for a few hours and finding some free time to think and take in nature along a highway.
But one of the best places to do that is way up north. There’s a highway that cuts across the very northern part of the state that takes you through small towns and right along Lake Superior and it’s one of the most beautiful, loneliest freeways in Wisconsin.
Way up at the very top of the state, US Highway 2 cuts across, from the Michigan Upper Peninsula over to Duluth and beyond. It's the Northern route through the state and it takes you through some beautiful countryside and some tiny, tiny towns. In the summer, the area is more populated, but if you head this way any other time, you'll certainly be one of a few.
It's highway, not interstate, and everything is just a bit slower and more relaxed up this way. You're probably traveling this highway to get somewhere else, but there's plenty to appreciate along the way.
Ashland is your first real sighting of Lake Superior. The highway takes you right to the edge of Chequamegon Bay and gives you a taste of the beautiful views you have way up here.
Breaking the rules a bit, you can also detour here and add a second highway into your trip - if you head north at Ashland, you can circle the whole peninsula that juts into Lake Superior, hugging the edge of the land and giving you some incredible views.
Cornucopia is small town charm and amazing scenery. You could take some time here to visit the nearby waterfalls. The hike is as lonely as the drive, honestly.
Getting back on Highway 2 takes you to Superior - the edge of Wisconsin, but the very beginning of the Lake. It's a gateway to the water and the unknown beyond. And it's stunning.
