Overview
The Coulee Region is a common local named for La Crosse, WI and its surrounding area in Southwest Wisconsin. It includes the entirety of La Crosse, Vernon and Monroe Counties and sometimes portions of Northwest Wisconsin including Trempealeau and Jackson Counties. The name "Coulee" derives from the French "couler" meaning to flow and refers to the Mississippi River and various other rivers and streams flowing through this portion of the Driftless Area.
1 sights
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Coulee Region
Elroy-Sparta State Trail
Bike trail between Sparta and Elroy with scenic tunnels and stops in smaller towns along the way. Part of USBR 30
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 12°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Madison)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- LSE La Crosse Regional Airport, La Crosse — 19 mi away. Directions
- EAU Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, Eau Claire — 74 mi away. Directions
- MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis — 134 mi away (major hub). Directions
Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: La Crosse — Chatty Belle, Downtown, Riverside Park.
- Day 2: Sparta — Ben Bikin', Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bike Museum, FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard.
- Day 3: Tomah — Tomah Museum, Little Red Schoolhouse, Wisconsin Woodsmen.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in Coulee Region
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Cities
- La Crosse – The primary city of the region, La Crosse sits on the Mississippi River. Home to a number of universities, it has become an educational and medical hub.
- Sparta – The proclaimed Bicycling Capital of America.
- Tomah
- Westby
Other destinations
Get in
Go La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
Nearby
Black River Falls
City / town · 2 listings · 28 mi away
Camp Douglas
City / town · 3 listings · 31 mi away
Soldiers Grove
City / town · 1 listings · 35 mi away
Winona
City / town · 28 listings · 39 mi away
Necedah
City / town · 41 mi away
Mauston
City / town · 13 listings · 43 mi away
Spring Grove
City / town · 10 listings · 44 mi away
Richland Center
City / town · 7 listings · 46 mi away
My experience
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