^Southbound reassurance marker for those turning away from Wisconsin 16 in Sparta, July 2025.

Wisconsin Highway 27 is a long north-south highway forming a boundary between western Wisconsin and central Wisconsin. It runs northward from Prairie du Chien to far northern Wisconsin, near Lake Superior.  The bridge over the Mississippi River that brings vehicles into Prairie du Chien carries US Route 18, which promptly turns toward the southeast upon its entrance to town. For those who want to continue east, Wisconsin Highway 27 begins and helps travelers to do just that.  Soon, Wisconsin Highway 27 turns toward the north, and it gets its start as a northward route. In southwestern Wisconsin, Highway 27 serves the purpose of the second-most westerly north-south state highway in Wisconsin (Highway 35 is the westernmost), passing through Viroqua. Highway 27 carries the distinction of second-most western highway until it reaches this area. It continues north through Sparta to Black River Falls, where the state highway joins US Route 12 north through Fairchild to Augusta.  US Route 12 heads west from Augusta, and that is where Highway 27 decides to sever ties with US Route 12 so it can continue north. Next, Wisconsin Highway 27 serves several small farming communities like Cadott and Cornell. It crosses US Route 8 in Ladysmith, and continues toward a westward concurrency with Wisconsin Highway 70. Highway 27 joins Highway 70 west at Ojibwa, and it splits to head back northward near Stone Lake. Finally, Highway 27 goes north through Hayward to end at the small town of Brule at US Route 2.

My photo of a route marker for Wisconsin Highway 27 is from a set of guide markers in Sparta. The signage depicted faces those approaching the intersection with Wisconsin Highway 16 from the south. Northbound travelers will also understand, from reading the sign, that Wisconsin Highway 71 comes from the east to turn northward onto Highway 27. This photo was taken in July 2025, on the way to western Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota.
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