Lower Wisconsin State Riverway

More DNR Properties & Resources

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway

What's New

  • The Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway [exit DNR] — This proposed linear parkway slices diagonally across Wisconsin through parts of 15 counties following the Fox River from Green Bay to Portage and the Wisconsin River from Portage to the Mississippi River. It marks the route taken in 1673 by explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet.

Explore the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway where you can find much to do in beautiful settings close to major population centers. You can fish or hunt, canoe or boat, hike or ride horseback, or just enjoy the river scenery on a drive down country roads. The Riverway abounds in birds and wildlife and the history of Wisconsin is written in the bluffs and marshes of the area. There is something for every interest, so take your pick. To really enjoy, try them all!

A decade of cooperative effort between citizens, environmental groups, politicians, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ended successfully with the passage of the law establishing the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board in 1989. Our goal is to provide a quality public use area for unique river corridor activities and compatible recreational pursuits; maintain the generally natural and scenic landscape of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway; and manage the corridor's natural resources for the long-term benefit of the citizens of the area and state.

The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway boundary contains 79,275 acres, of which over 44,000 are in state ownership, divided into 26 management units, and also contains or is next to State Natural Areas (SNA), Wildlife Areas (WA), and State Parks. The management is a team effort by wildlife managers, fisheries staff, foresters, park managers, wardens, land agents, and various natural resource specialists. The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board [exit DNR] a unique and separate State agency, is responsible for the scenic protection of the river valley.

The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway contains a fantastically diverse resource with a wide variety of historical and archaeological sites, wildlife, fisheries, and scenic beauty found nowhere else. You will enjoy your visit here and likely return again and again.

Two thirds of river users can be found on the stretch of river between Prairie Du Sac and Spring Green. Those looking for a more private experience will enjoy the middle section from Spring Green to Boscobel, and for the user wishing solitude, the stretch below Boscobel is the most secluded.

Features and Activities

Maps and Directions

The Wisconsin River flows unimpeded by any man-made structures for 92.3 miles from the dam at Prairie Du Sac downstream to its mouth at the Mississippi River. Approximately 80,000 acres of land on both sides of the river have been designated as the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. The property office is located at the DNR office in Dodgeville. The maps below show the Riverway from East to West and all open in a new window.

locator map

River Ethics

  • Have a good Time.
  • Pickup after yourself.
  • Respect others.

Contact

For questions and comments about the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway contact:

Property Manager
Department of Natural Resources
1500 N. Johns Street
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-1914

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board
202 N. Wisconsin Avenue
P. O. Box 187
Muscoda, WI 53573
(608) 739-3188
(800) 221-3792

See Also

Last Revised: Friday December 09 2011