The Chippewa Valley is bursting with fun and funky things to do. This destination is only 1.5 hours from Minneapolis and has some pretty amazing stops along the way. So pack your car and prepare to road trip through northwest Wisconsin!
This Chippewa Valley road trip itinerary will give you the best of what Highway 12 has to offer you and will lead you to the wildly underrated Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Along the way, you’ll go caving, visit some amazing parks and fill your stomach with beer, wine and delicious food. You can do all of this in only one fun-filled day.
Chippewa Valley Road Trip – Hudson
To begin your journey, start in the twin cities and make your way across the Minnesota border to the charming riverside town of Hudson. Hudson has a pretty amazing downtown area so stop here to grab brunch or just browse the shops.
Continue on Wisconsin Highway 12 leaving Hudson. Just outside of town, enjoy a stop at Willow River State park. Take a short hike down to the beautiful falls and snap some great photos.
Chippewa Valley Road Trip – Spring Valley
Continue on Highway 12 until you reach Baldwin. Here, detour south to Spring Valley to explore Crystal Cave. Stop at Crystal Cave and do a cave tour of this awesome geological formation. Be sure to pack a jacket as temperatures in the cave are often cool.
Chippewa Valley Road Trip – Menomonie
From Spring Valley, take Highway 29 into Menomonie. It is here that you begin the Chippewa Valley portion of your Chippewa Valley road trip. In Menomonie you’ll find the Devil’s Punchbowl. This park is home to sheer cliffs and a small waterfall and stream in the midst of the cliffs. Enjoy the short, yet steep, hike down into the punchbowl and take some pictures of this beautiful area.
You’ve most likely worked up an appetite so stop for lunch at Lucette Brewing. You can enjoy a cold beverage here but make sure to get one of their amazing and unique wood fired pizzas.
Chippewa Valley Road Trip – Eau Claire
After lunch, head in to Eau Claire to explore the amazing downtown area. You can complete the sculpture walk through town viewing all of the artists on display or enjoy a stroll in one of the many downtown parks.
If you are thirsty, we recommend stopping at The Brewing Projekt and Infinity Beverages Winery and Distillery. The Chippewa Valley is home to several wineries and breweries and after trying them all, we can easily say these are our favorites.
Chippewa Valley Road Trip – Chippewa Falls
Next, explore Chippewa Falls, which boasts two amazing parks. Irvine Park is located in downtown Chippewa Falls and has hiking and biking trails, playground areas and a FREE zoo. We love to take an hour to explore all of the animals here and complete the short walking loop through the park.
Next, head to the Lake Wissota State Park. This state park is full of hiking trails that take you along this LARGE lake. You can also rent canoes here and spend some time exploring the lake from the water. Or spend an hour at the beach soaking up the sun. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy this amazing state park before heading back into town.
No trip to Chippewa Falls would be complete without a stop at Olson’s Ice Cream. Have some homemade ice cream for your dinner before leaving town and heading home. If ice cream wasn’t enough to fill you, head to the Fill Inn Station in Chippewa Falls for our favorite fried cheese curds in all of Wisconsin.
Best Time to Visit
This road trip is filled with lots of outdoor activities and as such we recommend doing in Spring-Fall. Winter can be fun too but know you’ll be chilly. Our favorite season is early Spring. In spring, the waterfalls will be running faster and the animals in Irvine Park will be more active.
Want to Extend Your Trip?
If you’re looking for extend your trip, we recommend adding a day and completing the St. Croix River Road Trip on your second day in Wisconsin.
