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Westby–Chaseburg–Genoa Ridge Descent

Westby–Chaseburg–Genoa Ridge Descent is 39.2 miles of point-to-point riding through Vernon County in Wisconsin — the Coulee Region, the coulees, ridge tops and river bluffs of south-west Wisconsin. Moving time is about 48 minutes; allow 70 with stops — a half morning. It is scored CS-3, Spirited: 62 corners, 143° of turning per mile, 1,287 feet of climbing. The roads it uses, in the order you ride them, are in the app.

Curviness
CS-3Spirited · 1.58/mi
Distance
39.2 mi48 min riding
Corners
6240% sharp · Mixed
Climbing
1,287 ft33 ft/mi · Rolling
Shape
Point-to-pointHalf morning
Roads
Mixed roads35% county & local
Traffic
1,400vehicles a day, median
Speed limit
55 mphtypically 55
Open this route in the app

About this road

Westby is one of the most visibly Norwegian towns in the Coulee Region; its Syttende Mai celebrations are major community events. The route descends from that cultural center toward the Mississippi at Genoa, delivering big elevation change and a clear cultural-to-river narrative. Starting in Westby absorbs the atmosphere; the sustained run toward Genoa opens growing river views. The contrast between inland Norwegian town and river landing structures the day. The point-to-point from Westby to Genoa makes the topographic and cultural transition clear and purposeful. An excellent way to experience the span from a strong ethnic cultural center to the big-river edge, with continuous Coulee scenery and meaningful elevation throughout. Start in Westby, finish by the water at Genoa. The descent tells the story.

How it rides

62 corners over 39.2 miles — 1.58 a mile, and 143° of turning for every mile ridden. That scores CS-3, Spirited on the five-point curviness scale. 40% of those corners are sharp ones, and the road reads as mixed.

What it climbs

The road climbs 1,287 feet in total, 33 feet per mile, between 625 and 1,323 feet — 698 feet of relief. The longest single climb is 473 feet over 2.5 miles, and the steepest grade on it is 10.1%. By Driftless standards that is rolling.

Surface, speed and traffic

87.7% paved — the rest is gravel or seal coat, so check the surface before you commit. 35% of it is back road rather than highway, the other 65% state or US route. Posted speeds run to 55 mph, typically 55, measured across 61% of the route. Where traffic counts exist — 32% of the miles — the median is 1,400 vehicles a day, busiest at mile 6.3 with 12,700.

Where to stop

4 of the towns on this road have somewhere to stop — 5 fuel, 8 food, 5 bars.

Longest stretch without fuel: 32.3 miles. Worth knowing before you set off if your tank is small.

Listed alphabetically, and chosen by us rather than rated by anybody. The order you reach them, and the mile each one sits at, are in the app.

Worth knowing

Turn-by-turn directions and the spoken guidance are in the app. Every figure on this page is measured from the route itself — corner counts and gradients from the road geometry, elevation from the national elevation dataset, traffic from the state transport departments where counts exist.

Nearby roads