^Looking north from the southern end at Route 11 in Lafayette County, November 2023.

Wisconsin Highway 23 goes north and east from Lafayette County to Sheboygan. It exists in three chapters, the first of which is a northward trek through parts of far southern Wisconsin. The second chapter consists of Highway 23 wiggling eastward and northward without fully deciding between the two directions. The third chapter is when Highway 23 finally settles on sticking with an eastward direction. Wisconsin Highway 23 begins at Wisconsin Highway 11 west of Gratiot, within five miles of the Illinois state line. Chapter one has Highway 23 going northward through Darlington, Mineral Point, Dodgeville, and Spring Green. The northward piece of the route reaches Reedsburg, where it begins to zigzag northeastward. It zigzags right through Wisconsin Dells, then it joins Interstate 39 north for a short while. When Wisconsin Highway 23 splits from Interstate 39, it enters the third and longest phase: the eastward phase. The eastward progression of Highway 23 reaches Montello, Princeton, Green Lake, and Ripon before serving Fond du Lac. While other routes have been exiled from downtown Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Highway 23 continues right through town. The last piece of the route sets out for Sheboygan, passing through Plymouth on the way. The east end of the route is in the heart of Sheboygan, at a north-south street carrying Wisconsin Highways 42 and 28.

My photo of a route marker for Wisconsin Highway 23 comes from the southeastern end along Wisconsin Highway 11.  Eastbound travelers use this sign to identify the location of the left turn onto Highway 23, as they come from Shullsburg, bound for Gratiot (unless they take the turn). This photo was taken in November 2023 during a day drive to the Galena and Dubuque areas.
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