Cross Plains offers rural scenery, recreation and strong schools
Cross Plains, Wisconsin, is a village of about 4,000 people in the scenic Driftless area. The community provides quick access to activities ranging from summer pool outings and fishing to hikes through the region's hilly woods. Part of the village is in the Town of Cross Plains, a mostly rural area more than 10 miles west of Madison. The rural setting buffers the village from the city’s noise, but Cross Plains is zoned for some of the greater Madison area’s highly rated schools. “You get a great school district and a little more affordability with houses out there,” says Laura Callahan, a Realtor with First Weber Realtors. “There are bigger yards and more of a country feel, and it’s very commutable to the west side of Madison or downtown Madison.”
Homes draw buyers looking to escape city life
Many homes here are located in front of woods and hills. While some date back to the Victorian era, most homes were built between the mid-20th century and today. There are also new apartments and plans for a new golf course community. “There’s a lot of growth going out that way because people are getting out of the city,” says Tommy Van Ess, a Realtor with First Weber Real Estate. “They’re moving out here because of the rural area.” Houses include ranch-style, Colonial Revival, Cape Cod and New Traditional styles. Homes in the village mostly go from $330,000 to $780,000, while those on the more spacious farmland run between $890,000 and $4 million. Cross Plains’ median sale price of $540,000 is lower than some other Madison suburbs like Westport, where it’s closer to $650,000.
Students may attend Middleton or Cross Plains schools
Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District covers the area and receives an A-plus grade from Niche. The ratings site also ranks the district as the second-best in Wisconsin. Students may start at Park Elementary School, which gets an A-minus. They may then attend Glacier Creek Middle and Middleton High schools. Glacier Creek receives an A, while Middleton High gets an A-plus. The high school offers classes in areas like building trades and has received national media attention for its career technical courses. The community also has a private option with St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, which serves students from 4-year-old kindergarten to eighth grade.
Community has several parks and year-round outdoor activities
Black Earth Creek flows through the village, providing local anglers a top trout-fishing spot. Cyclists, runners and hikers may get on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a 1,200-mile path that passes through Cross Plains. The village also has several parks with playgrounds and sports facilities. These places include Bear Park, which has a couple of baseball fields, a skate park and tennis and basketball courts. Municipal Park has an outdoor pool and a parking lot that gets turned into an ice-skating rink during the winter. For nature hikes, there’s Festge County Park, where trails wind across over 150 acres of hilly landscape covered in oak savanna, hickory woods and prairie.
Area has pub fare, craft brews and supper club dining
Several local restaurants line U.S. Highway 14, which passes through the heart of Cross Plains. Morning commuters may grab a coffee and a biscuit at Crossroads Coffeehouse. The cafe’s decor includes a mural of a valley. Remington’s Tavern serves pub fare and has an outdoor area with cornhole and sand volleyball. Vintage Brewing Company, a Madison area institution, has a Cross Plains location. Dining options outside the village include The Hilltop Supper Club, where many go for cocktails and comfort foods. For grocery shopping, Cross Plains has Piggly Wiggly, which is also a grocery shopping destination for other nearby villages.
Cross Plain Trout Days celebrates start of trout fishing season
Local festivities include Cross Plain Trout Days, which typically occur in May on the banks of Black Earth Creek. The annual tradition kicks off the trout season and involves activities like fly-fishing demos and a 5K run or walk. Several bands also provide entertainment, usually playing rock, bluegrass and folk.
U.S. 14 goes toward Madison
U.S. Highway 14 provides a route to Madison, where it turns into University Avenue and goes to the city’s downtown. Cross Plains is about 15 miles west of downtown Madison. Wisconsin’s capital is home to institutions like UW Health’s University Hospital, one of the nearest hospitals to Cross Plains. Madison also has Dane County Regional Airport, the area’s hub for commercial flights.
The area usually receives nearly 50 inches of snow
Newcomers should prepare for strong winter weather, as the area usually gets about 50 inches of snow. In contrast, some parts of the Milwaukee area get just over 30 inches.
