^Looking south from US Route 8 in Rhinelander, October 2013.

Wisconsin Highway 17 runs north-northeastward from Merrill in north-central Wisconsin. It connects Merrill, Rhinelander, and Eagle River, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The southern end of Wisconsin Highway 17 is just a block east of US Route 51, along Wisconsin Highway 64. From this point on the eastern outer edge of Merrill, Wisconsin, Highway 17 meanders north-northeastward to US Route 8 in Rhinelander. Next, Wisconsin Highway 17 follows US Route 8 eastward around the south side of Rhinelander, soon splitting away to continue toward the north-northeast. Wisconsin Highway 17's next target is Eagle River, where it jumps east on Wisconsin Highway 70 east for a bit so it can join US Route 45 north. North of Eagle River, Highway 17 splits from US Route 45 to move northeastward to the small town of Phelps. Finally, Wisconsin Highway 17 completes the remaining few miles to the Michigan state line, where the roadway becomes a road named Smoky Lake Road. The road on the Michigan side of the border is not state-maintained.

My photo of a route marker for Wisconsin Highway 17 is a guide marker found in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Those driving westward on Wisconsin Highway 70 use this sign to locate the state highway moving northward through town, which carries US Route 45, Wisconsin Highway 32, and Wisconsin Highway 17. This photo was taken in December 2017 during an impromptu weekend trip to northeastern Wisconsin, during which I actually stayed the night in Eagle River.

​Back to the Wisconsin main page.
Back to the home page.