Where to see fall color in West Bend

Fall is a great time to visit West Bend—you’ll find fun events, great dining, and plenty of beautiful Wisconsin scenery. Here’s a look at a few places you should stop on your West Bend fall color tour.

Visit a park or hit the trails

West Bend is home to wonderful parks, natural areas and trails to explore when you’re out looking for fall color. Regner Community Park is one of the city’s largest greenspaces and is home to playgrounds, natural trails, and courts for baseball, soccer, tennis and more. Take a scenic stroll through woodlands, past ponds and Silver Creek and enjoy the fall color. Lac Lawrann Conservancy is a 137-acre nature preserve located just northeast of the heart of downtown West Bend, and more than four miles of hiking trails take walkers through woods and wetlands. Five miles of the scenic Eisenbahn State Trail run through the heart of West Bend, so it’s an easy spot to take a quick stroll through the fall colors.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which follows the trail of the last glacier in Wisconsin, covers 1,200 miles and passes through more than a dozen communities in the state, including West Bend. The Ice Age Trail Alliance this fall launched the Mammoth Hike Challenge, which invites trail users to hike 41 miles on the trail and visit three trail communities during the month of October for a chance to earn a certificate and a limited-edition patch. Learn more about the challenge and register here.

Take a drive

You can also hop in your car and marvel at the stunning fall colors from behind the wheel of your car (or from atop your motorcycle, if you’re so inclined). Don’t miss the sights on Rustic Road 52, a wooded, rural road which offers great panoramic views thanks to its high elevation. The road passes several historic buildings, including log homes and a fieldstone house dating to the late 1800s. Rustic Road 52 is located just south of Newburg, about a 15-minute drive from downtown West Bend.

A little farther from West Bend (about a 20-mile/30-minute drive), fall color fans can find Rustic Road 33, which passes by the Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, a popular stop for photo ops.

Stroll through downtown West Bend

West Bend’s charming downtown is filled with shops, restaurants and other attractions, but it’s also a great place to take a walk and see the fall colors. The West Bend Riverwalk runs along the Milwaukee River and offers a great place for a scenic walk. The Riverwalk also connects to Regner Park. The West Bend Sculpture Walk can be found along the Riverwalk and throughout the city—see more than 40 outdoor sculptures from local, state, national and international artists. The Tower Heritage Center—home to West Bend’s iconic Old Courthouse building—is another pretty place to stop for fall photos.

Planning a West Bend fall color getaway? Find welcoming places to stay, from modern hotels to charming bed & breakfasts.