Rockford IL to Madison WI drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Rockford IL to Madison WI by car is 74 miles, with a 1h17m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Rockford IL to Madison WI drive are Rock Cut State Park, the Milton House Museum and Lake Kegonsa State Park.
Finding the best things to do between Rockford IL and Madison WI
The drive from Rockford to Madison connects underrated cities in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Rockford IL is the biggest city in Illinois, if you discount those within the Chicago metropolitan area. There are plenty of things to do in Rockford IL, too. The Discovery Center Museum covers interactive science, while architecture lovers can visit Frank Lloyd-Wright’s Laurent House.
Rockford’s real strength, however, is a series of gardens by the Rock River. Of these, the sizable Anderson Japanese Gardens is the most strikingly impressive.
Madison is the capital city of Wisconsin, and it hosts several decent attractions. Top of the list should be the State Capitol Building, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Pedestrianised State Street is the spot for shopping, drinking and dining.
Other good Madison experiences include downtown e-bike tours, self-guided smartphone walks and ghost tours.
Rockford IL to Madison WI distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Rockford IL to Madison WI is 74 miles. You can expect a driving time of around one hour and 17 minutes. The quickest route is usually straight up the I-90.
The best stops to add to a Rockford IL to Madison WI road trip itinerary are Rock Cut State Park, the Milton House Museum and Lake Kegonsa State Park.
Rockford IL to Madison WI road trip attractions: Rock Cut State Park
Rock Cut State Park is based around two lakes – Piece Lake and Olson Lake. Both provide fishing in the warmer months and ice skating in the winter. Elsewhere, there’s a big campground, plus plenty of horse riding and cross-country skiing trails.
Wildlife lovers can spot raccoons, opossums, beavers and deer.
Best stops between Rockford IL and Madison WI: Milton House Museum
The Milton House Museum in Milton, Wisconsin, offers tours of an odd hexagon-shaped building and a tunnel complex. Milton House was a key stop in Wisconsin on the Underground Railroad. The tours offer the chance to understand how slaves were smuggled out of the south to freedom. The museum puts the Underground Railroad in context, with the battle against slavery leading to the American Civil War.
Rockford IL to Madison WI drive: Lake Kegonsa State Park
3,200-acre Lake Kegonsa has become a recreational hotspot, with a popular campground, a series of picnic areas and a well-used boat launch. The hiking trails take in woodlands and wetlands, but the main reason to visit in the summer months is the swimming beach.
Canoeing and kayaking are also possible on the lake.
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