Natural scenery near Madison and the Wisconsin River in Sauk Prairie
Rolling hills and farmland are around every corner of Sauk Prairie, a rural, Madison-area community along the winding Wisconsin River. Home to the small towns of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, the area offers quiet living and easy access to waterside recreation. “It’s a beautiful place to live,” says Laura Breunig, a local real estate agent with First Webber Group who has lived in the area for decades. “There’s rolling topography and river views that make you feel in touch with nature. A lot of families have been living here for generations. It’s a small-town feel with a lot of businesses run by locals.”
Spacious lots and a diverse housing scene
Sauk Prairie has a mix of mid-1900s and 21st-century architecture, from bungalows and ranch-style homes to Victorian-inspired farmhouses and modern craftsman houses. Near the center of town, homes sit on quarter-to-half-acre lots with fenced-in back yards, and well-maintained sidewalks can take walkers to nearby parks, schools and the businesses of Water Street. In the surrounding countryside, properties over an acre are common. Fixer uppers and quaint houses with around 1,000 square feet or less range from $170,000 to around $320,000, while larger, move-in ready builds can go for $300,000 to $690,000. Condos and townhomes range from $210,000 to $660,000.
An involved school district and a variety of extracurriculars
Prekindergarten through second-grade students can attend Bridges Elementary School, while third through fifth graders are served by Grand Avenue Elementary. Both elementary schools earn B-minus grades from Niche. “Our public schools are really involved in the community,” Breunig says. “For example, we had an issue with retaining experienced teachers due to our higher home prices, so the superintendent organized a new apartment complex with affordable housing, with designated apartments that the schools can offer potential teachers.” Sauk Prairie Middle School receives a C-plus and has a wide selection of elective offerings, including agriculture, music exploration and project-based learning. The B-minus-rated Sauk Prairie has over 20 clubs, from computer science to forensics, and partners with Madison College for its dual enrollment offerings.
Recreation on the Wisconsin River and Bald Eagle Watching
Sauk City Riverfront Park has soccer fields, paved walking trails, a playground and a splash pad, along with a canoe and kayak launch on the Wisconsin River. In the summer months, tubing is a common weekend pastime, with numerous nearby take out points. “In mid-January, hundreds of bald eagles flock to the sand bar and surrounding woods on the river in Prairie Du Sac to hunt in the open water,” Breunig says. “We have Bald Eagle Watching Days, where people gather at the Water Street overlook to watch the birds.” Culver Community Park spans across 67 acres on the community’s west side and has a playground, a fishing pond, an off-leash dog park and facilities for baseball, tennis, soccer and basketball. Lake Wisconsin is roughly 10 miles from Sauk Prairie and is a popular destination among local boaters and anglers, with numerous boat launches and over 7,000 surface acres ideal for bass and walleye fishing. Devil’s Lake State Park is a short drive north, with campgrounds, sandy beaches and nearly 30 miles of hiking trails.
Family owned businesses on Water Street
Water Street serves as the business district in both Cauk City and Prairie du Sac, with restaurants, art galleries and doctors' offices lining the road. Eagle Inn serves made-from scratch brunch fare and American comfort food from country-fried steak to half-pound burgers. Vintage Brewing Company has over 30 craft beers on tap that can be enjoyed alongside pub fare and flatbread. From May through September, the brewery hosts live music on Thursday nights in the beer garden. “The Gym Bar & Grill and the ZeFit gym are owned by a pair of brothers,” says Breunig. “And once a year, they hold a Gym-to-Gym run and walk to raise money for the local sober rides program. There’s a lot of cool, community-run events like that in Sauk Prairie.” Across the river, Wollersheim Winery & Distillery offers tastings next to its picturesque hillside vineyard. For groceries, shoppers can swing by Piggly Wiggly or Hansen’s IGA Market. Additionally, the community is home to the Sauk Prairie Healthcare hospital.
Driving to Madison and Milwaukee
Madison is around 30 miles southeast via U.S. Route 12, while downtown Milwaukee is about 100 miles away. The Dane County Regional Airport is roughly 25 miles east.
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Written By
Jillian Pillow
