I hit the road bright and early for an epic solo road trip from my home in Milwaukee through the Badlands to Yellowstone and back again. Lucky for me, my first day on the road took me right through the Wisconsin Cheese Trail. When you’re on a road trip like this one, you need to stock up on snacks. What better excuse to stop for cheese?
Mousehouse Cheesehaus
When I laid eyes on this chubby mouse in overalls chewing on a wedge of cheese above the entrance of Mousehouse Cheesehaus, I knew I had to stop. This gleeful rodent clearly wants to eat everything. So, I ran inside to get some fresh cheese before he eats it all!
Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet
After a successful stop at Mousehouse, I extended my dairy delight by dropping in at the Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet. As I understand, the Ehlenbach family has been making and selling cheese for almost 50 years. I wonder if this is also how long this poor mouse has been trying to climb that sign post on the chalet’s roof…
Once inside Ehlenbach’s, I found a large shop loaded with cheese, meats, and gifts. While I didn’t walk away with any cheese, I did buy a maple scented candle to burn at home after my road trip. I absolutely love the smell of warm maple syrup. Before continuing on, I surveyed a series of hand-painted murals depicting the cheesemaking process near the parking lot.
Carr Valley Cheese
I drove roughly an hour from DeForest to Mauston before my next stop. When I arrived at Carr Valley Cheese, a huge and somewhat sketchy mouse greeted me in the parking lot. I’m not really sure what to make of this thing. He’s cute and terrifying all at the same time.
With that said, I adored Carr Valley’s kitschy facade inspired by the beloved Holstein cow.
Once inside, I unloaded my entire wallet. The shopkeeper presented a bountiful buffet of cheese samples. Each tiny bite tasted so decadent that my wallet just sort of opened on its own. I’m not really sure how that happened. For my money, Carr Valley Cheese has by far the best selection of sheep cheese, goat cheese, and fresh cheese curds along the Wisconsin Cheese Trail. Squeak, squeak!
Lunch At Mocha Mouse
My soft-sided cooler now bursting with cheese, I drove towards Black River Falls. I really shouldn’t live on cheese alone. So, I stopped in for a healthy lunch at Mocha Mouse.
On arrival, my wonderful and very pregnant server Katie noticed my camera sitting on the table. Outside of Mocha Mouse, she’s also a professional photographer. We shared our favorite shots along with our mutual love for photography. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch stop at Mocha Mouse. In addition to offering great food and service, they sell used books, wine, ice cream, and specialty coffee. My favorites!
As I left Black River Falls to sojourn on, I visited the town’s famous moose statue. Yep. That is one big, orange moose!
Infinity Wine Tasting
Along the way to St. Cloud, I stopped by the wine tasting room at Infinity Winery and Distillery in Eau Claire.
While the winemakers clearly curated the tasting with care, I found most of these selections to be a little too sweet for my taste. I typically prefer dry wines. That said, I bought a bottle of Vivid Chardonnay & Frontenac Gris to enjoy at home after my road trip.
After a long day of driving through the Wisconsin Cheese Trail, I finally arrived in St. Cloud and checked into my room at the AmericInn. Once settled in, I wandered over to RJ’s American Grill for dinner. My fresh grilled halibut and a hearty side of broccolini certainly hit the spot.
Because I planned to head to Bismarck the next morning, I crawled into my queen-sized hotel bed a bit earlier than usual. One day down and 15 more to go!
More From This Road Trip
- Road Trip Planning for Solo Travel
- World’s Biggest Everything
- Dinosaurs & Rough Riders
- Hiking Theodore Roosevelt NP
