Eisenbahn State Trail: Kewaskum to West Bend

There are two places in Kewaskum to begin a ride on the Eisenbahn State Trail to West Bend. One trailhead is in downtown Kewaskum. Park benches, an information kiosk, and large parking lot are located there on the north side of Main Street (Wisconsin State Highway 28). The entrance is 300 feet west of the intersection with Fond du Lac Avenue.

Downtown Kewaskum has restaurants offering pizza, barbeque, hamburgers, and Caribbean food. The Coffee Corner Bistro is a trendy establishment with coffee drinks, sandwiches with local ingredients, and tasty baked goods. Their outdoor patio is a perfect place to enjoy a meal or coffee, and it is only one block west of the Eisenbahn State Trail.

Another potential stop in Kewaskum is the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial and Education Center. The center’s mission focuses on memorializing the victims of 9/11, honoring first responders, and providing education to the public. The center is located near the Eisenbahn State Trail. Consult the website for hours of operation and programming.

Trail-goers may also begin their ride at Kewaskum’s River Hill Park. A steep paved spur trail leads from the parking lot there uphill to the trail. Cyclists are advised to walk bikes up the incline. The park encompasses both sides of the Milwaukee River, and near the parking lot are portable toilets, a playground, park benches, and picnic tables.

By car, the trailhead at River Hill Park is accessed from Main Street (Wisconsin State Highway 28). Turn south onto Parkview Drive. This intersection is east of downtown Kewaskum, and west of the bridge over the Milwaukee River. The trailhead is at the southern end of the park.

The modern village is named after Potawatomi chief Kewaskum, who lived in the area in the 1840s. In the Potawatomi language, Kewaskum means retracing one’s steps. The U.S. government forced the Potawatomie nation in Wisconsin to cede their land, and move to a reservation in Kansas by 1838. A local band led by Kewaskum remained. Long after Kewaskum’s death in the late 19th century, the band moved to northern Wisconsin to become the Forest County Potawatomi community.

The first white American settlers who arrived in the area were the Barnes family, who came in 1844 to farm. In 1852, J. H. Myer built a sawmill and gristmill on a bend in the Milwaukee River. It was called “Myer’s Mill” and later renamed “Kewaskum Center.” The community grew in the 1860s with the arrival of German immigrants, and again in the 1870s with the railroad. The village was incorporated in 1895.

Back on the Eisenbahn State Trail, it is 10.5 miles from downtown Kewaskum to the Rusco Road trailhead on the south side of West Bend. This trail section runs through the countryside of Washington County, along U.S. Highway 45, and through West Bend. The elevation of the trail is fairly level. The surface is crushed limestone for 5.8 miles south from Kewaskum. The final 4.7 miles of the trail is paved asphalt, in excellent condition.

Leaving River Hill Park and going south out of Kewaskum for one mile, the trail passes through a corridor of trees. Businesses are seen through the trees to the west. Beginning at Sandy Ridge Road, U.S. Highway 45 comes closer to the trail and runs adjacent to it for 3.5 miles. While vegetation helps conceal a highway view, the sounds of traffic are apparent.

The Eisenbahn State Trail then makes its way south through hilly glaciated farm country. Rolling farm fields are surrounded by low marshy areas and tall, forested knolls. Almost 2 miles south of downtown Kewaskum, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail arrives from east. It shares the path for 150 feet before heading west through a tunnel adjacent to a creek under U.S. Highway 45. From the trail, Sunburst Ski Hill is noticeable farther west.

After 3.5 miles of following the highway, the trail turns left (east) to travel along tall power lines. After one mile, a rickety wooden and iron bridge carries Woodford Road over the path. 175 yards further a spur trail leads uphill to the right (west) to the West Bend campus of Moraine Park Technical College. A covered park bench and bicycle self-service station are on the spur trail. The college parking lot may serve as a potential trailhead. It is located at 2151 N. Main Street in West Bend.

After the spur trail, the path crosses the Milwaukee River on a 230-foot wooden trestle bridge. There scenic views of the river from there. About 0.3 mile further south, the trail enters West Bend. The path’s surface changes from crushed limestone to paved asphalt. At that spot, a spur trail leads off to a nearby street.

A little wayside is found at Barton Avenue, with sculptures thoughtfully placed among small trees and flowering plants. Nearby Commerce Street has a popular restaurant and other businesses in quaint, old buildings. On the other side of the trail is the repurposed Barton Roller Mill. It is a historical relic of the little community of Barton on the Milwaukee River.

The trail leaes barton and follows a bend in the Milwaukee River. The dammed river forms Barton Pond, a 63-acre lake that is a popular fishing spot. While park benches are placed along the whole trail, the rest stops by Barton Pond offer especially scenic views.

In this section by Barton Pond, a spur trail leads left (northeast) to Lac Lawrann Conservancy. This 145-acre nature preserve features wetlands, hardwood and red pine forests, and tall grass prairie. The Conservancy lands shelter hundreds of species of plants, birds, and other wildlife. There are 4 miles of trails through the glaciated landscape. The Lac Lawrann Conservancy website has information on programming and hours of operation.

After passing Barton Pond, the Eisenbahn State Trail travels by apartment buildings and a YMCA. It then arrives at E. Washington Street (Wisconsin State Highway 33). Trail-goers are encouraged to employ the crosswalk signs to safely navigate this busy intersection, and use headlights/taillights for extra visibility.

The trail journeys into downtown West Bend, passing the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA). This modish institution focuses on contemporary and emerging art created by state artists and sculptures. Their website contains information on exhibits and hours of operation.

Across from MOWA is the historic depot of the former Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The depot was built in 1900 and renovated in 2009. It now houses the Ozaukee-Washington Land Trust, but also serves as a trailhead. The depot has restrooms, a bike rack, a bicycle self-service station, picnic tables, and an interesting sculpture garden.

The Eisenbahn State Trail parking lot is south of the depot. The trailhead has an information kiosk with a trail map and history of the area. By car, it is reached by turning south from Washington Street (Wisconsin State Highway 33) onto Wisconsin Street. Then turn right (east) on Water Street, and left (south) into the parking lot.

Continuing south on Water Street for 175 yards, a spur trail leads off to the right (west) and downhill. It joins another trail aside the Milwaukee River, and they both pass under the Eisenbahn State Trail. They travel east to Riverside Park. The park has restrooms, picnic tables, pavilion, athletic fields and courts, a disc golf course, playground, and trail system. Park entrances are on Kilbourn Avenue, Indiana Avenue, River Road, and Water Street.

As the trail bridges the river, it offers another spectacular view of the Milwaukee River. Passing through neighborhoods, a corridor of trees and bushes creates a sense of seclusion. The trail crosses several streets. A mile after the Milwaukee River, another spur trail leads to the right (west) to Ziegler Park. Located on Birchwood Drive, this park has restrooms, picnic areas, playground, softball field, open play area, and half basketball court.

A short distance further south, another spur trail leads to Decorah Elementary School. The trailhead at Rusco Road marks the end of the Eisenbahn State Trail. It has a parking lot, portable toilet, information kiosk, bike rack, and bicycle self-service station. The nearest intersection on U.S. Highway 45 is 2 miles away. By car, exit east onto on W. Paradise Drive, and go 0.4 mile. Turn right (south) onto S. Main Street and drive 1 mile. Then turn left (east) onto Rusco Road. Drive 0.9 mile, and turn left (north) into the parking lot.

West Bend is the county seat of Washington County. White American settlement began in 1845 when Barton Salisbury built a mill there on the Milwaukee River. In 1873, the Northwestern Union Railroad Company laid tracks through West Bend. It became the Chicago and Northwestern Railway in 1893. With the railroad, West Bend grew rapidly. Factories, mills, grain elevators, and stores made the city a manufacturing center. It was known as the “City of Varied Industries,” and incorporated in 1885.

^{Map of trailheads and addresses along this section of the trail.}

West Bend’s downtown is home to many restaurants. Riverside Brewery is a local favorite for hand-crafted beers and delicious food. Located on the riverfront, this casual establishment offers nine unique brews. For brews of a different sort, The Hub is a coffeehouse right on the trail. It offers an assortment of tasty beverages, and a menu of breakfast items and sandwiches. This special café is a popular hangout. It distributes all of its proceeds to local nonprofits, and houses the Volunteer Center of Washington County.

Trail last ridden and documented in July, 2022.