Most folks in Southern Wisconsin have taken a field trip to - or at least driven past - Holy Hill and the The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Hubertus. The spires of the church peek out above the trees and signs point you there if you're traveling on Hwy 41.

But have you really thought about what a truly gorgeous set up Holy Hill is? Surrounded by forest trees that are lush and green in the summer and full of color as the leaves change in the fall, it's also a unique kind of barren beauty in the winter. As far as churches and pilgrimages go, Holy Hill offers one of the most unique.

Located in Hubertus, near the town of Erin, the hill and the church rise above the horizon.

Holy Hill is actually a kame, an irregularly shaped hill or mound composed of sand, gravel and till that accumulates in a depression on a retreating glacier, and is then deposited on the land surface with further melting of the glacier.

Holy Hill is on the National Historic Register and is an active church.

As you get closer, the church takes shape above the trees as the spires look like they are touching the clouds.

This is how Holy Hill looks most of the time with the lush greenery that surrounds it. But visitors should come back year-round to experience the way the area around the church changes.

If you're lucky, like after a storm, fog rises out of the dense forest surrounding the Basilica.

Then the church and its surroundings take on an ethereal appearance.

Or you can get the silhouette of the hill against the setting sun.

Holy Hill is always pretty, but it's especially gorgeous in Fall.

The different colored leaves look like stepping stones or a woven blanket leading you up to the church.

In winter, the trees lose their leaves but collect snow. The grey winter sky adds an eerie tinge to the hill.

Having all this natural beauty is one thing, but Holy Hill is set up to help you see and enjoy it.

Visitors can climb 178 steps to the top of one of the towers, giving them amazing views of the surrounding area - and on a good day, all the way to Milwaukee.

Fall is obviously the best time to climb the stairs.

The trees around the church erupt in a symphony of color, making Holy Hill a can't miss location when the weather starts to change.

Gorgeous archtecture only adds to the views.

The views stretch for miles in every direction.

The tower takes you above the trees, but there are paths that let you live inside the golden forest, as well.

Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The paths carry you along the stations of the cross and there are monuments and statutes all over the grounds.

While the facade and grounds are gorgeous, the Basilica offers incredible beauty inside, as well.

Stained glass windows bring in the sunshine that the church gathers atop the hill.

In winter, the bare tree limbs gather the falling snow and create a look that's straight out of a fantasy novel.

The once lush paths now feel devoid of life.

Before too long, the Spring will come and the trees will bloom and it will be time to visit Holy Hill all over again.

What's your favorite time of year to visit Holy Hill? Are there other churches in spectacular settings in Wisconsin that you love? If you want to see more stunning Wisconsin churches, check this out.