Boscobel

Boscobel is a flatland winch site at a small general-aviation airport in southwestern Wisconsin, popular locally for its easy grass launches right along the runway and the rolling hills around it that offer real cross-country potential. It's a genuinely friendly scene, with the town and its restaurants close by. Because it's a working airport, the rules here are strict and non-negotiable: an aviation radio must stay on at all times, towing or flying without one present isn't permitted, and pilots need to watch for plane traffic on good-weather days rather than lingering over the field or in approach paths. The winch itself only operates from the grass — it must never sit idling on the asphalt runway, stepping onto it only briefly during an active tow. Cross-country flights need a plan B: with modest ceilings, the surrounding hills and nearby water can become obstacles if you can't get high enough to clear them.

Launch & conditions

Launch straight off the grass along or at the end of the runway; the winch and tow vehicle stay on the grass and only step onto the runway briefly during an active tow.

Getting there & local rules

Turn in at the airport sign on Highway 133, just outside Boscobel; park only in the designated public parking area.

Local rules & hazards

This is a working general-aviation airport, so standard aviation rules apply: keep an aviation radio on at all times, and never tow or fly without one present. Watch for plane traffic on good-weather days and avoid lingering over the airport or in approach paths — take off, land or thermal away, and clear the area.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Boscobel, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Boscobel with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.