Wisconsin's Driftless area

Hills the glaciers missed. Valleys, trails, and small towns worth a full weekend.

The Driftless Region is a pocket of southwestern Wisconsin (plus slivers of Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois) that the last ice age skipped entirely. While glaciers flattened the rest of the Midwest, this area kept its ridges, bluffs, coulees, and spring-fed streams — terrain you won't find anywhere else in the state.

Mount Horeb sits right at the edge of it, close enough to Madison for a day trip, but the Driftless rewards visitors who stay longer. More hills to climb, more valleys to drive through, more small towns to eat and shop your way across.

What is the Driftless area?

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Explore the Driftless Region

Southwestern Wisconsin's Driftless Region stretches across several small towns, each with its own identity — Swiss heritage, Cornish stone architecture, organic farms, world-class theater. Here's what's nearby.

Mount Horeb, your Driftless base

Mount Horeb is Troll Capital of the World and the easiest home base for exploring the Driftless — walkable downtown, a trail that runs straight through town, and lodging that puts you minutes from everything above.

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