Top 20 Wisconsin Bike Trails for Social Sippers
Cyclists are drawn to Wisconsin’s bike trails, and outstanding independent breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries have popped up to serve them. In addition to tap and tasting rooms, many local establishments offer tours, food, and entertainment. Cyclists don’t have to go far for a cold pint of beer or cider, refreshing glass of wine, or perfect cocktail. The following establishments are located near the path and eager to serve trail-goers.
#1 Green Circle State Trail
The Green Circle Trail makes a 27-mile loop around Stevens Point. As it passes through the downtown area, there are two notable establishments that merit a stop. Great Northern Distilling is dedicated to making great, small batch liquor using high quality ingredients. Visitors may take a tour or enjoy a tasty coctail at their mixology bar. Nearby is Sunset Point Winery, offering a relaxing environment with a variety of fruit and dessert wines.
Near the Green Circle Trail is historic Stevens Point Brewery. The brewery offers tours of their facility and tastings of its many brews in their new taproom. The historic brewery dates back to 1857. It is the fifth-oldest continuously operating brewery, and the third-oldest privately owned brewery in the United States.
#2 Interurban Trail: Cedarburg to Port Washington
Cedarburg and Port Washington are three cities on the trail that cater to tourists. Cedarburg’s Rebellion Brewing Company sits in a quaint location by Cedar Creek. Patrons may enjoy a pint in their beer garden. Cedar Creek Winery, Chiseled Grape Winery, and Cold Country Wines are three wineries not far from the trail in downtown Cedarburg.
Sahale Ale Works is directly on the trail in downtown Grafton. The family-owned craft brewery specializes on IPAs and light beers. It has a lovely patio and taproom.
In Port Washington, Inventors Brew Pub makes handcrafted beer and pub fare that may be enjoyed with scenic views of Lake Michigan. Located on the site of historic Lakeside Brewing that operated from 1847 to 1947, Inventor’s Brew Pub honors the brew-making tradition with over 50 of their own beers.
#3 Interurban Trail: Brown Deer to Cedarburg
Two cities on this section of the Interurban Trail offer places to enjoy a glass of wine or pint of beer. Foxtown Brewing Company sits close to the trail in Mequon. It’s a modern craft brewery that makes classic lagers and dynamic ales, and is housed in a brewery built in 1857. Their food menu includes lighter fare and full dinner entrees.
Cedarburg also has a brewery and several wineries. Rebellion Brewing Company claims to offer beer for the people. Not far from the trail, it hosts an outdoor beer garden next to Cedar Creek. The city is also home to several wineries that produce their own wines. They include Cedar Creek Winery, Chiseled Grape Winery, and Cold Country Wines.
#4 Red Cedar State Trail: Menomonie to Downsville
This portion of the Red Cedar State Trail is in northwestern Wisconsin. For 7.8 miles, the trail follows the Red Cedar River south from Menomonie to Downsville.
Adjacent to the Menomonie trailhead, and within walking distance is Lucette Brewing Company. The brewery is named after Paul Bunyan’s sweetheart, Lucette. They produce a variety of beers, including several IPAs. Their menu features homemade Neapolitan-style pizzas. The bruschetta sticks are also highly recommended.
#5 Hillsboro State Trail
This short trail runs from Union Center to Hillsboro in west central Wisconsin. Cyclists often start in Hillsboro, bike to Union Center, and return to visit Hillsboro Brewing Company.
The brewery is found in a restored 28,000 square-foot Carnation Milk plant, built in 1914. Today, they produce over 30 different craft beers. Hillsboro Brewing Company has a full menu of food, including appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, wings, pizzas, and fish specials.
#6 Badger State Trail: Madison to Belleville
Just a mile south of the start of the Badger State Trail in Fitchburg is Hop Haus Brewing Company. It is east 450 feet off the trail on Sub-Zero Parkway. This local brewery site offers at least 5 of their brews year round, and over a dozen beers seasonally rotated. A variety of styles are offered, with IPAs being their specialty. A full menu offers a range of foods, from appetizers and homemade soup, to ribeye and vegetarian curry dishes.
#7 Mountain Bay State Trail: Shawano to Bonduel
When biking the Mountain Bay State Trail in northeastern Wisconsin, cyclists may want to visit Stubborn Brothers Brewery. It’s on Main Street in Shawano, just 0.4 mile north of the old depot trailhead. Housed in a beautifully renovated movie theater, the brewery offers a range of craft beers, full food menu, and live music.
This is a small-batch, experimental brewery, so the beer selection changes frequently. Menu items are typical pub fare. Their appetizers are especially delicious, including fried brussel sprouts and cheese curds. Stubborn Brothers also offers a non-alcoholic house cream soda and Sundrop, a popular vintage soda made and bottled only a few miles from the brewery.
#8 Military Ridge State Trail: Blue Mounds to Riley
Traveling 11 miles in southwest Wisconsin, this section of the Military Ridge State Trail passes through Mount Horeb. Immediately next to the downtown trailhead is Brix Cider. Their ciders come from a variety of local orchards, including their own nearby. They claim to blend tradition and modern science in making their artisanal hard ciders. The tasting room features 12 taps regularly rotated with new ciders. Brix also serves farm-to-table food on their outdoor patio.
One block north of the trailhead is the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub. It features a large selection of award-winning, handcrafted microbrews made on-site. They offer a full food menu that is locally sourced and made from scratch. The deep-fried Muenster cheese curds are popular, as are the pretzels and brats, all Wisconsin delicacies.
#9 Military Ridge State Trail: Riley to Madison
Before this trail enters Madison, it passes through Verona. The Main Street trailhead at Hometown Junction Park puts cyclists in downtown Verona, and across the street from Hop Haus Brewing Company. This is a popular place with cyclists, and it’s not unusual to see groups gathered on the patio or inside the brewery. A variety of beer styles are available, with IPAs being the main feature. Appetizers and light food baskets are also served.
#10 Eisenbahn State Trail: Kewaskum to West Bend
The paved section of the Eisenbahn State Trail runs through the city of West Bend in east central Wisconsin. Located on the Milwaukee River in the downtown area is Riverside Brewery and Restaurant. It features a mix of seasonal and signature handcrafted beers, including an English bitters beer. The restaurant serves a variety of delicious dishes, from sandwiches to seafood and steaks. But don’t forget the beer cheese soup! Riverside Brewery and Restaurant is only 0.2 mile off the trail and is a popular stop for cyclists.
#11 Wiouwash State Trail (South): Larsen to Oshkosh
On the edge of Oshkosh in northeast Wisconsin, Bare Bones Brewery sits next to the Wiouwash State Trail. It sits across from a trailhead on the corner of W. Sunnyview Road and County Highway S. The brewery opened in 2015, and serves 15+ beer styles, some of which are uniquely historic. Bare Bones brews a Kentucky common beer (also called steam beer). It’s a 19th century American invention. Almost 100 years old, their Old Derby Ale was first developed in 1933 at Ripon Brewing Company.
#12 Whitewater City Trails
Second Salem Brewing Company is only 250 feet off a bike route on Main Street in Whitewater. The brewery’s unique name comes from the southeastern Wisconsin city’s association with witch seances held on the high hill of Starin Park water tower and other unworldly occurrences at nearby Cravath Lake during the early 1900s. The brewery sits by the Lake and has a pleasant patio. A variety of beers are brewed and served, from “hoppy to malty.” Their food menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes.
#13 Great Sauk State Trail
Vintage Brewing Company is 0.3 mile off this southwestern Wisconsin trail in Sauk City. The brewery offers a beautiful view of the Wisconsin River in any season. It features a broad selection of craft beers with 40 different taps. Several of their brews are award-winners. The menu includes specialty appetizers, hearty salads, creative burgers, flatbreads, and entrees. Their cheese curds, BBQ macaroni and cheese, and fish dinners are perennial favorites.
#14 Tomorrow River State Trail: Plover to Amherst Junction
Near the start of this central Wisconsin trail in Plover is O’so Brewing Company. Located in the Artist & Fare shopping mall, 30 beers are served in their taproom, and canned beer is for sale. Try “The Big O”, 2015 Gold Medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival Award. O’so Brewing Company uses Wisconsin products including grain, case boxes, and labels. They also strive to help the local community. All tour proceeds go to local charities.
#15 Beloit Riverside Corridor Trails
Located a short distance off Beloit’s network of trails in the downtown area is Cheezhead Brewery. Locally-owned and operated, the brewery has set up shop in a historic building. They sell their own craft beers and also pour taps from other Wisconsin craft breweries. Cheezhead serves wine and spirits too. The bewery has a spacious taproom, comfortable outdoor beer garden, and features over ten of their own beer varieties. Food is also served, with appetizers, flatbreads pizza, and sandwiches on the menu.
#16 Foundation Trail
In the west central Wisconsin city of Black River Falls is Sand Creek Brewing Company. The brewery is located 0.3 mile off the Foundation Trail in a historic building dating back to 1856 when the Oderbolz Brewing Company operated there. The facility is open to the public Thursday through Saturday, with tours offerd Friday afternoons.
In the taproom, customers may also enjoy a pint or two of their home brews. Their Badger Porter and Oscar’s Chocolate Oatmeal Stout are recommended for dark beer enthusiasts. Their Oktoberfest beer is a Marzen-style lager and 2000 World Beer Cup Gold Medal recipient. The menu also includes a variety of ales and hard lemonades.
#17 Fox River State Trail: Greenleaf to De Pere
LedgeStone Vineyards and Winery and Gnarly Cedar Brewery is located in northeastern Wisconsin just north of Greenleaf, and immediately off the Fox River State Trail. The brewery takes its name from the oldest tree in Wisconsin, a red cedar that’s over 1300 years old and sits near the property. Classic styles of beer are the specialty here. The outside seating area is a perfect place to view the Niagara Escarpment and enjoy a cool pint.
The winery focuses on traditional wines from Wisconsin and West Coast grapes. The Marquette is a popular semi-sweet red wine. Their specialty food menu includes appetizers, flatbreads, and gourmet grilled cheese. An expansive outdoor area is dotted with chair groupings, and firepits for cool summer nights. In addition to wine tasting, a variety of classes and special events are offered.
#18 Mascoutin Valley State Trail: Ripon to Berlin
A sign for Vines and Rushes Winery appears on east central Wisconsin’s Mascoutin Valley State Trail about 3.5 miles north of Ripon. A spur trail leads to the winery. It is frequently used as a trailhead, as cyclists head out for a ride, and return for wine and a meal.
Vines and Rushes uses cold, hardy grapes that can survive Wisconsin’s frigid winters. A favorite wine is their Wiskonsan, a unique strawberry and grape blend. The winery building includes a restaurant and a small store, powered partly by solar panels on the roof. The restaurant features a wood-fired, Italian-made pizza oven, used to bake Neapolitan-style pizzas at high temperatures.
#19 Three Eagle Trail: Three Lakes to Sundstein Road
This section of the Three Eagle Trail runs through Oneida County from Three Lakes to the Sundstein Road trailhead. Cyclists on the 8.4 mile route are treated to the scenery of Wisconsin’s northern forests. They also may want to partake in a visit to Three Lakes Winery. Open since 1972, the winery is housed in the historic 1880 depot of the old Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. Their specialty is cranberry wine, but they offer a large assortment of other fruit wines. Visit their tasting room for 6 free samples, and be sure to take home a bottle from their store.
#20 Fox River State Trail: De Pere to Green Bay
Captain’s Walk Winery is 2 blocks east of the Fox River State Trail in the northeastern Wisconsin city of Green Bay. A restored antebellum building on Crooks Street in the downtown area houses the winery’s tasting rooms. Wines are crafted with modern winemaking practices from fruit throughout the United States. Captain’s Walk also produces cider from Wisconsin apples. Cider offerings include Door County Cherry, Wisconsin Maple Brown Sugar, Bourbon Barrel Brown, and a Dragon Fruit Mimosa.
