The Most Beautiful Fall Drive in Wisconsin Just Might Make You Dizzy 

It might be hard to keep your eyes on the road when you're driving near Northport, Wisconsin, in the autumn. In most years, the fall colors are simply spectacular. You’ll want to drive carefully on this scenic highway, though, because parts of it could just be the curviest little stretch of road in the Badger State. (It also happens to be one of the best fall drives in Wisconsin.) I'm talking about Wisconsin Highway 42 in Door County, and, in particular, the stretch between Timberline Road and Porte de Morts Drive. You really have to experience it for yourself to believe it. So, fill up your tank and hang onto the wheel: Here's what’s waiting down the road.

The Door County segment of Highway 42 is one of the Badger State's great scenic drives. The other sections aren't too shabby either. The road starts in Sheboygan and tracks the Lake Michigan shoreline as it travels northward. Once it reaches Door County, Highway 42 shifts to the Green Bay side of the peninsula and follows the shorelines contours to the northernmost tip of the county, completing its 138-mile route at Northport. It’s been used by millions of tourists traveling through Door County or taking the Lake Michigan Circle Tour, a scenic driving route that circumnavigates the lake.

While Door County draws throngs of tourists, you'll find the farther north you drive, past the villages of Ephraim, Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, and Gills Rock, the more tranquil things become. As you near the tip of the peninsula and the point from which you can embark on the passenger and car ferry that carries visitors and locals to Washington Island, the driving along the final stretch of road gets really interesting.

There are a few theories on why the road is so twisty. Some say the curves were built to accommodate utility poles along the highway. The story could be true, but why then aren’t there more curvy roads like this—you can find utility poles everywhere in the state! A more accepted story suggests aesthetic reasons: The road may have been designed in this way to reflect the aesthetic vision of Jens Jensen, a prominent landscape architect.

Jensen designed parks and natural spaces that were built to follow the curves of nature, and he helped found The Clearing Folk School in nearby Ellison Bay. In any case, this drive is spectacular and worth seeking out for its beautiful curvesIf you have a zoom lens, you can get a really interesting photo down the highway. Or you can simply roll along and take in all of the spectacular fall colors—the best colors can be found from late September until early October. Watch out for people in the road, though: On many occasions when I've been there, I've seen people—presumably visitors—lying in the road on this stretch to have their photo taken.

What is your pick for the best fall drive in Wisconsin? The Badger State has tons of gorgeous spots for a fall drive. We'd love to hear about your favorites.