Top 5 Bike Trails in Wisconsin
- The Ahnapee State Park Trail
The Ahnapee State Park Trail in the northeast connects Sturgeon Bay and Kewaunee and has water bodies throughout the Door Peninsula for a spectacular 50-mile zig-zag ride. It also crosses two portions of the Ice Age Trail, from Kewaunee to near Luxemburg on the southern end and Algoma to Sturgeon Bay on the northern end.
You’ll go through Algoma farmland and forests, as well as municipal parkland and a boardwalk zone, beginning at Sturgeon Bay. Sunflower and apple orchards, a tiny zoo south of Kewaunee at Bruemmer Park, marinas, and an ancient railroad depot with a clock tower at the trail’s end that is now a public pavilion are all highlights.
- Wausau 24
The Wausau 24 is 188 kilometers north of the Rivewerwest 24 and takes place at the same time. Rather than being delayed in packed city traffic, you’ll spend your day pedaling through Wisconsin’s north woods in the Midwest’s largest mountain bike race.
You may pick your degree of engagement by entering the six-, twelve-, or twenty-four-hour races and riding solo or as a team, with riders trading off every lap or so. If riding isn’t your thing, you can always run. When you’re not riding, you may relax at your campsite or have a party by the fire.
- Fox River State Trail
From the home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers to the rural villages in the south, the 25-mile Fox River State Trail is jam-packed with the rich history and beauty of its northeastern Wisconsin locale. The path, which was initially used by Native Americans and subsequently by French explorers/traders, runs along the Fox River for for 5 miles before heading south through farmland and many towns to Hilbert. You’ll travel through an urban area with restaurants, pubs, and a bike store on your way south from Green Bay.
- Trek CX Cup
There are several separate races throughout the weekend at Trek CX Cup that cater to a wide range of skill levels, but because they’re short, it’s quite easy to get in and then enjoy the party that follows.
Trek CX Cup has been a stop on the Cyclocross World Cup circuit for the previous three years, bringing the top CX pros from their Belgian battlegrounds, making it a must-see event. It’s one of the only pro CX races where men and women compete for the same prize money, and amateurs may get up up and personal with their favorites, even competing on the same course as the pros.
- The Eisenbahn State Trail
The Eisenbahn State Trail, which stretches 25 miles from West Bend to Eden in southeast Wisconsin, offers something for everyone along its part-asphalt (5 mile) but mostly crushed-stone (20 mile) route to the west of Kettle Moraine State Forest. The title “eisenbahn” refers to the state’s German ancestors and meaning “railway” or, more specifically, “iron road.” Highlights include community parks, scenic agricultural panoramas, Campbellsport’s “main street” area, and West Bend’s 136-acre Lac Lawrann Conservancy, which has identified more than 200 bird species.