Cheese, Bourbon, and Beer Tour
A route designed by Chip from 2021, a trip into the small roads of western Wisconsin with stops along the way at The Octagon House, Bass Lake Cheese, 45th Parallel Distillery, and Lift Bridge Brewery. The distillery and brewery are next-door neighbors. If you want a tasting and tour at 45th Parallel Distillery or Lift Bridge, you might want register before you go as space is limited.
Meet at the Oak Park Crossing, 1525 60th street N., Oak Park Heights, MN. The driving time from the Start point to the Octagon House in Hudson, Wisconsin is approximately 25 minutes.
- Turn right onto 60th Street which turns into County Rd 22
- Stay on 22 south which goes behind Stillwater State Penitentiary (left side of road)
- Proceed about five miles to stop sign
- At Hudson Road turn left
- At next stop sign, Hwy 95 (St. Croix Trail), Turn right
- Use round-about to make u-turn on Hwy 95 (heading back north)
- First Gathering Stop. Will be on the shoulder prior to getting on the Hwy 94 entrance ramp
Upon restart,
- Take 94 East Hudson exit right, Stay in right lane across the St. Croix River Bridge,
- Take a right onto exit #1, Hudson Downtown. This will feed you onto Second Street. Out of towners call it Main St.
- At the first stoplight you should be in the middle lane. You will be going straight into downtown.
- Stay on the Second Street until the third stop light. (Vine St.)
- At the third stop light Turn right onto Vine Street
- Go one block and at the stop sign turn left onto Third St.
- Second Gathering Stop Due to construction, Third Street has limited places to stop. At Myrtle Street turn right and enter the parking lot alongside the Bethel Lutheran Church. This parking lot is across the street from the Octagon House Museum.
Upon Restart,
- Exit parking lot turning left and then turn right to get back on Third St.
- At the next stop sign (St. Croix Street turn right. You are now on the Yellowstone Trail
- At the next stop sign, continue straight on (St. Croix Street) you will continue until the next stop sign.
- At the stop sign you are going to veer left onto Baer Drive.
- Proceed about 2 miles and will notice a Wisconsin Rustic Road Sign on the shoulder, your turn is close!
- Turn left onto Trout Brook Rd. You are now running along the back side of Willow River State Park. Enjoy the tree covered road and the twisties for the next 3 miles.
- At the next stop sign (River Road) turn right.
- Proceed about ¾ mile and turn left onto Rolling Hills Trail. This road has elevation change and a few long curves. The road has an odd v, stay left, continuing on Rolling Hills Trail.
- At the stop sign (tee in the road) turn left onto Old County Road E, this is a short road.
- At the next stop sign is County Road E, turn left.
- Go about 2 miles and turn right onto Valley View Trail. There is a Bass Lake Cheese Factory sign at this intersection.
- Enjoy the next four miles of turns and significant elevation change. Hurry along but watch it in the corners, they will sneak up on you.
- At the next stop sign you have arrived at the Bass Lake Cheese Factory. Stretch, Relax, Check out the selection. We will be here about 30 minutes.
Bourbon, beer and Lunch are 60 min away.
Upon Restart:
- Depending upon how you parked we will be heading north on 60th St. This road changes direction and numbers a number of times. At the right bend it turns into 150th and then bends left into 63 Street.
- At the Tee stay right and go to the stop sign. This is County Road I.
- Turn right onto County Rd I.
- You are going to enter and exit Somerset, Wisconsin on this road so here are the directions to get you through.
- At the stop sign by the school continue straight, next you will proceed straight through the round-about and go under railroad bridge.
- At stop light (Holiday Station on corner) continue straight.
- Third Gathering Spot: we will pull off on the side of the road at the Lapointe Event Center and wait for everyone.
Coming up is some open country hustle driving, watch the curves at the Dam Site.
Upon Restart
- Onward on County Rd I for about or 4 miles.
- You will encounter a steep twisty down and up grade at the Apple River Hydro-Electric Dam Site. Don’t try keeping up with me!!!! This spot was my stress relief when coming home from work.
- After a several miles of straight away you will come upon a sharp right hand in County Road I. Turn left onto 50th St.
- Drive down 50th Street until you’re in the middle of Pine Lake.
- Turn left onto Rice Lake Road proceed about a ½ mile.
- Turn left (south) onto 40th Street. As you crest the hill you will have a vista view of the Rice Lake Flats at the St. Croix River bottoms.
- At the stop sign you turn right back onto Rice Lake Road. Across the flats and back up the hill.
- At the next 4-way intersection turn left onto 40th Street. Wave at the Highlander Cattle at Red Meadow Farm.
- Go about 1 ½ miles to the Tee (Polk St. Croix Road)
- Turn right onto Polk/St. Croix Rd.
- At the next stop sign turn right onto 260th street and go 1.25 miles
- Turn left onto 230th street
- Next Gather Up Point is at the stop sign at the intersection with Hwy 35.
You are about 18 minutes to have a cool one and some food.
Onward
- Straight across Hwy 35 is County Road H. You will be headed east towards Star Prairie.
- About 6 miles down H you will come across County Road CC (Cedar Lake Speedway sign on the corner)
- Turn right onto CC. Cedar Lake Speedway will be be busy tonight around 5:00 pm.
- At the next stop sign at the junction of C/CC turn left.
- At the next top sign continue straight on 210th St and proceed to the next stop sign. This is Hwy 65.
- Turn right onto Hwy 65. This takes you into the north side of New Richmond.
- Gather Point: we will pull into the safety area along the road next to the airport, this is your last Gathering Point (Fun fact: New Richmond airport is Wisconsin’s fifth largest airport)
Onward:
- At the stop light go straight into New Richmond on Hwy 65 south. There will be eight (yes 8) more stop lights you will have to endure. Just keep going straight.
- At the Culver’s/Walmart stop light turn right onto Richmond Rd.
- Go about 1.5 miles and turn right onto Madison Ave.
- The Distillery and Brewery are on the right-hand side of the road
Heading Home???
- Head back south on Madison to Richmond Rd.
- Turn right on Richmond Rd
- At the stop sign with Cty Rd A turn right
- At the next stop sign turn on A
- Follow until the Hwy 65 over pass and head west (left)
- 13 miles down the road is where we started.