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.
From one end to the other, it takes you near Lake Superior and offers some of the prettiest scenery, even if it is a lonely drive.
The drive along Highway 2 is rolling hills and vistas for miles. It's as close as Wisconsin gets to Big Sky Country.
You'll pass through small towns, some of which look like they haven't changed much in a few decades or so. Being this far north is a bit nostalgic.
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.
In picture after picture from Highway 2, there's not another car in sight.
Highway 2 is part of the Lake Superior Circle Route. It hugs the very edge of the state and in this part, the country, as well.
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.
Bayfield is a quaint little town right on the water that offers amazing views of the water.
You'll get spoiled by all the views you have while adding this little detour.
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.
Some interstate comes across the bay here from Minnesota, but you can stay on Highway 2 and cross over the St. Louis River as you leave Wisconsin.
And you'll get plenty of gorgeous vistas as you do.
Looking for more amazing drives in Wisconsin? Check out Take These 5 Country Roads In Wisconsin For An Unforgettable Scenic Drive.
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