Top 19 Wisconsin Bike Trails for History-Lovers
Many Wisconsin bike trails pass through areas steeped in history. Trailside interpretive markers, nearby museums, and historic sites help cyclists discover the events, milestones, and hidden histories of an area. These trails are ranked for their conveyance of history. They feature an abundance of interpretive markers, museums, and attractions along the route.
#1 Fox River State Trail: De Pere to Green Bay
This section of the Fox River State Trail is in northeastern Wisconsin. The paved trail heads north from Voyageur Park in De Pere to Green Bay’s busy downtown. The trail closely follows the Fox River, and traverses some of the most historic land in the state.
Native Americans lived by the Fox River at what was later called “La Baye.” Near Voyageur Park, French missionaries established St. Francis Xavier mission at the Rapides des Peres in the late 1600s. The area was also used as a trading center by Nicholas Perrot, a French-Canadian who traded furs with Native Americans throughout the western Great Lakes.
Historical markers along the bike trail highlight the development of the French regime, British occupation in the late 1700s and early 1800s, and the influx of American settlers in the early 19th century. Some markers focus on modern times, including the history of the Green Bay Packers. The Fox River State Trail directly passes two small museums, White Pillars and Hazelwood. It also cuts through Heritage Hill State Historical Park, a 56-acre living history museum with over 20 historic buildings. All three sites are accessible from the trail, and offer a glimpse into the area’s distinctive history.
#2 Great Sauk State Trail
The Great Sauk State Trail is in southwestern Wisconsin. This 10.6 mile path runs north from Sauk City, through Prairie du Sac, to the Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area. This recreational area was once the site of Badger Ordinance Works, an army ammunition factory active from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Cyclists pass 12 different markers on the trail that convey the history of Native American settlements on Sauk Prairie, and the development of Sauk City, Prairie du Sac, and Badger Ordinance Works. 6 other markers focus on the area’s geology and natural environment. The signs present conservation efforts, with special attention on bald eagles that frequent the river at Prairie du Sac, and the recovery of natural prairies at Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area. Pieces of artwork also have been placed along the bike route.
#3 Bearskin State Trail
The Bearskin State Trail from Minocqua to County Highway K is in northern Wisconsin. The path is 18.3 miles, and the route itself is historic. It was originally a spur line of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad, used to haul logs southward. On weekends, the railway ran a Fishermen’s Special passenger train. Full passenger service was soon offered on what was called the Northwoods Hiawatha Streamliner. From Chicago, tourists took the main Hiawatha train to New Lisbon, then transferred to the Minocqua line.
Interpretive markers on this section of the trail mainly focus on the advent of the railroad in the late 1800s. One marker near Minocqua reveals a railway construction calamity, while others mark the sites of railroad communities that are now ghost towns. Markers also discuss preserving the delicate ecosystem of Wisconsin’s northern forests and wildlife.
#4 Military Ridge State Trail: Blue Mounds to Riley
This section of the Military Ridge State Trail is in southern Wisconsin. The crushed limestone path traverses western Dane County for 11.3 miles. Along the way, it travels by several communities, Blue Mounds State Park, and Brigham County Park.
In Blue Mounds, spur trails lead up two separate hills to state and county parks. Interpretive markers there convey unique geologic and human history. Trail-goers may also head off the trail to visit Cave of the Mounds, a national natural landmark. In Blue Mounds, a marker near the trail describes how in 1832 during the Black Hawk War, local residents built a fort to protect themselves from factions of warring Native Americans.
In Mount Horeb, the Driftless Emporium is close to the trail. Managed by the Mount Horeb Area Historical Society, it focuses on the area’s ancient and modern history. Look for other interpretive signs in Riley. A set of markers at an observation platform north of Riley, along with an information kiosk by the trailhead, unveil the area’s natural and human history.
#5 Mountain Bay State Trail: Weston to Norrie Lake
The Mountain Bay State Trail is in north-central Wisconsin. Marathon County has intentionally placed interpretive markers along the path to educate trail-goers. It runs nearly 15 miles from Weston to Norrie Lake.
This section of the trail has 12 interpretive signs about the early history of the county and former rail line which the path follows. The trail passes over the route of the old Chicago and Northwestern Railway. The line from Eland to Wausau was first built in 1880 by the Milwaukee, Lakeshore, and Western Railway. The Chicago and Northwestern Railway took over the company and the line in 1893.
Many of the interpretive markers along the way focus on industry and commerce in small towns thsat developed along the rail line. One marker east of Weston describes the significant role of the Eau Claire River during the logging industry of the late 1800s. Signs at the Norrie Lake trailhead focus on the logging industry’s influence on the community. Other markers, including those near Ringle, share information about geologic and natural history.
#6 Chippewa River State Trail: Eau Claire to Caryville
In northwestern Wisconsin, the Chippewa River State Trail runs from Eau Claire to Caryville. It closely follows the Chippewa River, and has numerous interpretive markers. The trail begins in Eau Claire at Phoenix Park. A heritage walk there hasinterpretive stone markers illustrating Eau Claire’s history. Over the next 3 miles, 12 historical markers highlight the region’s indigenous people, early American exploration, industrial development on the Chippewa River, and inf;uence of certain local citizens.
More historical markers are found outside Eau Claire. One marks the ghost town of Porterville. It was once a bustling town of 1,200 people. Now it’s a quiet forest with babbling creek. Before crossing Wisconsin State Highway 85, a spur trail leads to a wayside. It has a marker about nearby Silver Mine Ski Jump.
#7 Pheasant Branch Conservancy
A circular path through Pheasant Branch Conservancy and the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor Trail wind 7.8 miles through creek bottoms, wetlands, and prairies. Much of the 160-acre conservancy is in the southern Wisconsin city of Middleton.
Dane County Parks and a friends group ensure visitors are well-informed. Information kiosks and interpretive markers line the conservancy’s trail. They feature natural and human history, and present current ecological efforts to support the delicate environment.
An information kiosk at the trail’s junction with County M (Century Avenue) tells the history of Pheasant Branch and Middleton. One trailhead marker tells how Black Hawk and his band of fleeing Fox and Sauk Native Americans camped nearby in 1832, as they were pursued by American troops. And atop Frederick’s Hill, people have the opportunity to respectfully visit Native American burial mounds.
#8 Ice Age National Scenic Trail
Biking is permitted on 11.5 miles of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Janesville. The trail in this southern Wisconsin city offers several opportunities to explore local history.
A historical marker in Blackhawk’s Grove gives a history of the 1832 Black Hawk War. Blackhawk and a band of Sauk followers had camped in that area. The grave was named after him. Not far away, Rotary Botanical Gardens features a wide assortment of plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers. At Jeffris Park, a historical marker tells the story of the Burr Robbins Circus, which wintered nearby from 1874 to 1884.
Another marker north of downtown identifies the remains of the Northside Brewery. The brewery operated from 1856 to 1939. Volunteers now work to restore building remnants and create a historical park. In downtown Janesville, the Peace Trail converges with the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Cyclists taking this path along the Rock River will find a marker by “Big Rock” that tells its story.
#9 Chippewa River State Trail: Meridean to Durand
The Chippewa River State Trail in northwestern Wisconsin follows the river from Meridean to Durand. The Meridean trailhead includes a historical marker about the community, and its various town sites over time. A marker at Dunnville Barrens State Natural Area shares the history of Old Tyrone, a once thriving little community that is now a ghost town.
The Chippewa River State Trail ends in Durand. Although not on the trail, an important historic marker is a short distance away by the former Pepin County courthouse. It bears memory to a disturbing history from 1881: the lynching of an incarcerated man by an angry mob. The courthouse and jail are on the National Register of Historic Places.
#10 Sugar River State Trail: New Glarus to Monticello
The Sugar River State Trail is in southern Wisconsin, and begins in New Glarus. Known for its Swiss heritage, cyclists may want to explore this historic town before a trail ride. A historical marker near the trailhead conveys the history of the Swiss settlement in the 1840s-1850s. Historic buildings are close by, including an 1887 railroad depot that serves as trail headquarters. On 6th Avenue, Puempel’s Olde Tavern was founded in 1893, and its building has retained the original wooden bar and ice box. The town is peppered with historic houses, including a small collection at the Swiss Historical Village & Museum.
#11 Baird Creek Bike Trail
The Baird Creek Bike Trail runs through Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin. This short 3-mile paved path is well-known for its beautiful natural landscape. It also has several historic markers along the way, including some on the Green Bay Packers Heritage Trail.
A marker at Riverside Ballroom tells its connection to Packer football and music history. In 1959, the Riverside Ballroom was one of the final venues for the Winter Dance Party tour, featuring Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. Days later the performers perished in a plan crash.
A second Packer marker indicates the former home of meat packing companies that first sponsored the team. A third marker is on the East River Trail that joins Baird Creek Bike Trail at Joannes Park. After crossing the East River, head north to City Stadium. The marker describes how the stadium was home to the Packers from 1925 to 1956.
#12 Great River State Trail: Trempealeau to Marshland
The Great River State Trail passes through west central Wisconsin. At the trailhead in Trempealeau, cyclists may want to head south on the path for one mile. The Nicholls Hopewell Mound is located there next to the trail. An observation platform offers a look at the large conical mound, and interpretive markers convey its history. The burial mound dates to the Hopewell culture 2,000 years ago. Excavations done in the 1920s and 1930s revealed helpful information about this cultural group.
In downtown Trempealeau, a short distance from the trail, is a historical marker and sculpture honoring Trempealeau’s first white American settler, James Reed. While other fur traders had fur trade posts nearby, Reed settled at what would become Trempealeau in the early 1840s. North of the village, a spur trail leads to Perrot State Park. A historical marker there indicates where the early French fur trader, Nicholas Perrot, built a post in 1685.
#13 Elroy-Sparta State Trail
Considered to be the nation’s first rail-to-trail project, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail meanders for 32.5 miles through the rugged Driftless Region of west central Wisconsin. A several trailheads, historical markers tell the story of the development of the path. A highlight of the trail is its three hillside tunnels. They were carved out between 1870 and 1873 to allow the Chicago and Northwestern Railrooad to pass through the hilly terrain. Markers are located at each tunnel and along the trail. They convey the area’s interstering railroad history, including construction of the tunnels.
#14 Rountree Branch Trail: Platteville
Platteville’s Rountree Branch Trail is only 2.7 miles long, but it has many interpretive markers along the route. These markers convey the unique history of this southwestern Wisconsin city. Interpretive markers highlight the area’s lead and zinc mining history, tell the story of local breweries and other significant businesses, and explain the impact of the railroad on the development of the community. Other markers focus on the environment, including conservation efforts and the effects of a devastating tornado that hit the city in 2014. The trail is also the home of various pieces of artwork.
#15 Ahnapee State Trail
The 48-mile Ahnapee State Trail travels through northeastern Wisconsin’s Door and Kewaunee County. Two trail segments offer a look back at the area’s unique history. From Maplewoon to Algoma, three historical markers are located along the trail. The section of the path that ends in Kewaunee also has history to share. A large kiosk near the city explains the details of a marsh arsenic contamination site. Interpretive makers in Kewaunee large the area’s economic, railroad, and maritime story. At the end of trail at Harbor Park, visiotrs may tour the historic tugboat, Ludington.
#16 Badger State Trail: Madison to Belleville
From Madison, this 12.5 mile trail makes its way through southern Wisconsin to the historic village of Belleville. There are several interpretive markers along this section of trail. Some describe the changing landscape of Fitchburg. One reveals the influence of the Illinois Central Railroad on the area. A Belleville marker in Library Park Square conveys the village’s past. It highlights the attractive historic building in the center of the square.
#17 Beloit Riverside Corridor Trails
A network of paved trails through Beloit’s downtown area and nearby city parks pass by several sites of historic interst. There is a statue of Ken Henricks, the founder of ABC Supply Company and local philanthropist. One historical marker shares the story of Rolling Thunder’s Ho-Chunk village at the confluence of Turtle Creek and Rock River, and how soldiers camped near there during the Black Hawk War in 1832. Another markers conveys the story of Roy Chapman Andrews, a renowned scientist and explorer from Beloit. And a plaque on a downtown building commemorates a visit by Abraham Lincoln to Beloit in 1859.
#18 Oconto River State Trail
Running from Stiles Junction to Oconto in northeastern Wisconsin, the Oconto River State Trail is a 7.7-mile rugged path best suited for mountain bikes. There are no historic sites along the trail, and there are few amenities at its trailheads. But located near the eastern end of the trail is Copper Culture State Park. A historical marker and small museum there convey the unique history of native people who lived during the archaic period and buried family members in a nearby plot of land.
#19 CamRock Trail
The 2.4-mile CamRock Trail is located in southeastern Wisconsin. It travels through CamRock County Park from Cambridge to Rockdale. There is interesting history presented at the trail’s end in Rockdale. A historical marker and 3-paneled information kiosk at the trailhead conveys the story of the village’s dam, millpond, and different types of mills that lasted through time from 1847 to shortly after 2000. Little remains today of the once active milling industry there that made the village a destination for nearby farmers. Also, a historic beer cave is located by the trail in Rockdale, and it is worth a stop to take a look.