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Designated byways

Nationally designated byways in Wisconsin

Congress created the National Scenic Byways program, administered by the Federal Highway Adminstiration (FHWA) in 1991. Individual states have the option of participating and forming their own individualized state program in connection to this national program. State designated scenic byways can potentially be named a National Scenic Byway or All American Road upon successful completion of a separate application process at the national level. These nationally designated routes are marketed to national and international travelers.

• Great River Road National Scenic Byway
  Wisconsin's Great River Road is both a state and nationally (FHWA) designated scenic byway. It is actually part of a multi-state byway that begins in Minnesota and follows the Mississippi River for 10 states until it ends in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Wisconsin designated byways

• Wisconsin Lake Superior Scenic Byway
  This is the state’s most recent scenic byway. The Wisconsin Lake Superior Scenic Byway is a 70 mile route of WIS 13 from US 2 to County H in northwest Wisconsin.
  
  
• Lower Wisconsin River Road
  The Lower Wisconsin River Road is a designated Wisconsin scenic byway that travels 100 miles along WIS 60 following the Wisconsin River from Lodi to Bridgeport/Prairie du Chien. At Prairie du Chien there is an intersection of the Great River Road National Byway and the Lower Wisconsin River Road state scenic byway.
  
  
• Door County Coastal Byway
  The Door County Coastal Byway begins in Door County at the junction of WIS 42/57 one mile north of the city of Sturgeon Bay. The route travels north on WIS 42 to the town of Northport, home of the Washington Island Ferry Service and south on WIS 57 to Bailey's Harbor and Jacksonport.

Other scenic byways: U.S. Forest Service designated byways

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has its own scenic byways designation for roads passing through US Forest Service lands separate from FHWA's program. There are two USFS designated scenic byways in Wisconsin: 

• the 29-mile Great Divide Scenic Byway between Glidden and Hayward, WI travels through the Chequamegon National Forest; 
• and the 15-mile Heritage Drive Scenic Byway east of Three Lakes, WI travels through the Nicolet National Forest.

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Questions about the content of this page:
Jane Carrola, jane.carrola@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: March 15, 2013