New Rustic Roads Guide Ushers Travelers on 126 Country Routes
The latest edition of the Rustic Roads Guide has been released and features backroad trips on Wisconsin's 126 Rustic Roads — including R-60 that travels through canopies of coniferous and hardwood trees in Vilas County.
Rustic Roads is one of Wisconsin DOT's oldest programs. For half a century, the Rustic Roads program has helped grow Wisconsin's economy by encouraging Wisconsinites to visit communities across the state.
The program began in Taylor County in 1975 and now features approximately 760 miles of scenic, lightly traveled country roads through 61 counties, including a portion of Vilas County's Highway K. Unique brown and yellow signs mark the routes of all officially designated rustic roads, which range from 2 miles to 37 miles in length and have a maximum speed limit of 45 miles per hour.
"It's amazing to see how this program has grown and evolved since the first Rustic Road was designated 50 years ago," said DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. "This unique local-state partnership provides an enjoyable experience for people of all abilities, and DOT is thankful for the ongoing efforts to make this program so strong."
Since Day One, Gov. Tony Evers and his administration have made it a priority to invest in improvements to local roads, bridges, and infrastructure and bolster the travel and tourism industry, which both are major economic drivers for the state. Since 2019, the Evers Administration and DOT have improved more than 8,600 miles of roads and more than 2,000 bridges, making travel safer and more efficient across Wisconsin.
The 2025 Rustic Roads Guide also features the Scenic Byways Program, which highlights non-interstate highways primarily along Wisconsin waterways, allowing travelers to explore more of the state’s beauty, recreation, and cultural or historic attributes.
"Rustic Roads in Wisconsin continue to be popular destinations in all seasons," said Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers. "This guide is the perfect starting point for making memories exploring the friendly communities and natural beauty Wisconsin is known for today and for the next 50 years to come."
Gov. Evers said for the past 50 years, this unique program has provided Wisconsinites and visitors alike opportunities to explore beautiful places across the state and support local businesses as they travel. "We will continue to invest in local road improvements to help ensure folks can travel from point A to point B safely and bolster our state's thriving travel and tourism economy, as well as the small businesses and rural communities that visitors and Wisconsinites know and love. I am proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary, and I look forward to the next 50 years of this program."
For a free copy of the 2025 edition of Wisconsin Rustic Roads, visit travelwisconsin.com/order-guides or call 800-432-8747. Additional information about the Rustic Roads Program and the nomination process is available here.
