White River State Trail
The White River State Trail travels 19 miles through southeastern Wisconsin. It starts in Elkhorn (Walworth County) and ends in Dover (Racine County) on Vandenboom Road. The trail is divided into 2 distinct sections, separated by a 2-mile gap in the city of Burlington. City street bike lanes and a short path allow cyclists to travel through Burlington, linking the two sections of trail.
The White River State Trail follows the route of a former rail line. The Racine, Janesville, and Mississippi Railroad began purchasing land in 1854, and the route was completed in 1856. Ten years later the company re-incorporated as the Western Union Railroad Company. In 1900, it was sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company. The “Milwaukee Road,” as it was also called, filed bankruptcy in the 1980s, and sold the portion of track where the White River State Trail now runs to the Soo Line. In 1985, it was sold to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The Canadian Pacific Railway never used the line. The corridor was purchased by Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources in 1999 for a recreational trail. A product of the Rails-to-Trails program, the path opened in 2003.
The White River State Trail is now part of the “Route of the Badger,” a project aiming to link southeastern Wisconsin trails into a network encompassing over 700 miles of trails. As of 2022, there were about 350 miles of connected trails.
Next steps for the White River State Trail call for expansion east from Vandenboom Road in Dover through Union Grove, Sturtevant, and Mt. Pleasant to Racine. In 2014, the Canadian Pacific Railway abandoned that portion of their line. Future plans call for this corridor to be opened as an extension of the White River State Trail and part of the Route of the Badger.
The White River State Trail journeys through farm fields and wetlands, and traverses the communities of Springfield and Lyons. The path takes its name from the White River, which flows 19 miles from Geneva Lake to the Fox River in Burlington. The trail crosses the river a mile east of Lyons, and other creeks cross the path as well. Wildlife, songbirds, and a host of tree and wildflower species are seen along the trail.
The trail’s surface is crushed limestone and in good condition. The gradient is level. It is operated by Walworth and Racine Counties. A trail pass is required for bicycle riders 16 years of age and older, and horseback riders. The cost is $5.00 per day, or $25.00 per year. Trail passes may be purchased at trailhead self-registration stations or from vendors in Elkhorn and Burlington. Cyclists should obey all posted rules while using the trail.
Route Descriptions