110 Chestnut: Newly restored historic home with all the amenities one block from downtown. Perfect for 1-6 people. 110 S Chestnut St., Mineral Point, WI 53565. (608) 574-2246. www.110chestnut.com.
Prairie Flowers & Gifts: A flower shop with antique and vintage items, chocolates and unpredictable gifts for you, baby, home and garden. 126 N Lexington St, Spring Green, WI 53588 (608) 588-9999.
Cave of the Mounds - National Natural Landmark: Visit Wisconsin’s underground geologic wonder. Tours daily, year-round on paved, lighted walkways. Above ground fun for all ages includes: Gemstone Mine, Fossil Dig, Butterfly Gardens, Hiking Trails and amazing Rock Shop. Located just 25 minutes from APT. (608) 437-3038, 2975 Cave of the Mounds Rd., Blue Mounds, WI 53517.
Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce: Rich in history, art, architecture and culture, the River Valley is a perfect destination vacation. 101 East Jefferson Street, Spring Green, WI 53588.
Whether it’s a bike ride through the hills, a beautiful hike through the woods or a canoe trip on the Wisconsin River, Spring Green and the River Valley area is a spectacular backdrop for all types of outdoor recreation.
There are two state parks within a 15-minute drive of APT. Tower Hill State Park is located almost across the road (5808 Cty. Hwy. C). It features campsites, hiking trails, a canoe landing and picnic areas. Visitors can take a lovely hike to the top of a bluff overlooking the river where an old shot tower and smelter house have been reconstructed. Governor Dodge State Park, located eight miles south of Spring Green (4175 Hwy. 23), is one of the state's largest parks with 5,270 scenic acres of steep hills, bluffs, and deep valleys plus two lakes and a waterfall. The park offers hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobile trails, horse trails, camping, hiking, boating, swimming, 8 designated picnic areas, swimming, boating and fishing. Hunting is available in season with proper permits.
There are many great bike routes in the Spring Green area. A marked bike lane runs all the way from Hillside School (just south of the Wisconsin River on Hwy. 23) to Dodgeville, and the Military Ridge Bike Trail is also accessible from Spring Green by following Hwy 23 south to County Hwy. Z. For a map of bicycling conditions, visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website .
The Lower Wisconsin is a river for people who like to travel and take in the sights at a leisurely pace. River currents range from three to five miles per hour upstream of Spring Green and only one to two miles per hour further downstream near Muscoda. Along the entire 92.3 miles there are no rapids, falls or portages, making the river ideal for recreational canoeists & kayakers. Two-thirds of river users are found on the 25-mile stretch between Prairie du Sac and Spring Green. There are numerous canoe landings in the River Valley area, including those at Tower Hill State Park, Peck’s Landing, Lone Rock (just east of the Hwy 130 bridge), and Arena (South Bank).
Both the main channel as well as the backwaters of the Wisconsin River support large numbers of gamefish and panfish and good fishing can also be had on area streams and lakes. For more information, contact the DNR office at (608)935-3368.
The Spring Green area is a treasure trove of architecture which has been designed or influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. Besides the buildings designed by this giant of American architecture, the River Valley has many structures by Wright’s former apprentices. For more information and and driving tour map, visit the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce website.
There’s always an event going on in Spring Green, especially in the summer. From Bobfest, an annual festival of Bob Dylan music held every Memorial Day weekend to the Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair in June to the Fall Art Tour in October, it’s a busy place. For a full calendar of events, see the Spring Green Area Chamber of Commerce website.