 Welcome
to Hidden Valleys Audio Tours where you will hear
about a number of scenic, historic and
entertaining sites in the beautiful Hidden
Valleys of south western Wisconsin. The locations
currently featured here are in La Crosse,
Monroe, Juneau and Vernon Counties in the
northern section of the Hidden Valleys.
Whether you are traveling by bus, car,
motorcycle or bicycle you can use this audio
resource to plan your tour as you explore
the backroads and small towns of this unique
and captivating area of Wisconsin.
 From
the Mississippi River in the west to the
Wisconsin River in the east, the Hidden
Valleys offers some of the best scenery to
be found anywhere in the upper mid-west. The
beauty of this area is due to the rugged
hill and valley topography found throughout
the region. La Crosse, Monroe, Juneau and
Vernon Counties are on the northern edge of
the un-glaciated region of south-west
Wisconsin referred to as the Coulee Region.
The name “coulee” originates from the French
word “to flow,” as in the flowing water that
carved out the limestone and sandstone
bedrock which resulted in the steep eroded
valleys that are the hallmark of this area.
The erosion of the ancient uplifted ocean
floor has been taking place for over 400
million years, uninterrupted by the advance
of the mile high glaciers which dominated
the surrounding region for thousands of
years. For unknown reasons the glaciers
bypassed a large area of what is today
south-west Wisconsin, north-west Illinois,
south-east Minnesota and north-east Iowa. In
the Hidden Valleys of Wisconsin the
elevation difference between ridge and
valley is often over 500 feet, resulting in
the stunning vistas that can be enjoyed
throughout the region.
 The
early Native American inhabitants of the
area have left little remaining evidence of
their life here. However, some of their
effigy and burial mounds are preserved and
can be seen in many parks in the region,
especially along the Mississippi River.
Settlement of this area by European
immigrants began by steamboat in the 1840s,
at many locations along the Mississippi; the
largest settlement became the city of La
Crosse in 1856. The great influx of settlers
began before the Civil War and continued
into the early years of the 20th century.
These first new residents were of Scots,
English and Irish ancestry. Later, large
numbers of German, Norwegian and Polish
immigrants settled in the growing cities in
the region and others established homesteads
in the rural areas. In the later decades of
the 20th century dozens of Amish families
settled throughout the Hidden Valleys. Their
devout religious traditions and old-world
craftsmanship are another distinctive
feature of this area. More recently,
southeast Asian and Hispanic immigrants have
found new homes in the region and have added
their distinctive ethnic traditions to the
cultural mix in western Wisconsin.
 Today,
the rural and small town lifestyle that
predominated for over 100 years can still be
experienced in the preserved downtowns,
restored churches, and country shops that
are found throughout the Hidden Valleys.
With the passing of the steamboat era, the
arrival of the railroads in the 1870s set
the pattern of economic and social
development. Today, many of these rail lines
have been converted to recreational trails.
Several of these bicycle trails are
connected and extend for over 80 miles
across the northern section of the Hidden
Valleys from La Crosse in the west to Elroy
in the east.
The architectural history of the area is
being rediscovered and preserved in many
communities. Business owners and community
leaders are recognizing the important link
between historic preservation, heritage
tourism and a strong local economy. Dozens
of individual private, public and commercial
properties as well as several historic
districts in the area are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
This unique region of well-maintained but
lightly traveled roads is meant to be
enjoyed at a leisurely pace. You may find
that you are sharing the experience with
other heritage travelers in their car, by
motorcycle, or by bicycle. Please be
courteous towards your fellow tourists as
well as those who call this beautiful region
home. Take time to experience the sights and
sounds and observe the distinctive natural
and human history along the roads less
traveled in the Hidden Valleys of western
Wisconsin.
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