Interurban Trail: Brown Deer to Cedarburg

The Interurban Trail’s first section travels from the Ozaukee-Milwaukee County line north to Cedarburg. There is no trailhead at County Line Road, so cyclists often begin at Village Park in Brown Deer. It is less than a mile on Brown Deer Trail to County Line Road and the start of Ozaukee County’s Interurban Trail.

The ride from Village Park in Brown Deer to Cedarburg is 8.4 miles long. Elevation rises as the trail heads north, and there are a few hills. The path’s surface is paved, and in excellent condition. Benches and rest areas are found  along the trail. Much of the route travels in a straight line, next to a corridor of power lines and Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

The landscape in this section of the Interurban Trail is urban and suburban. The path travels by commercial businesses, as well as residential neighborhoods. Heading north, it journeys through Brown Deer, Mequon, Thiensville, and Cedarburg. Sections of Mequon are more rural, where forests and small wooded areas surround much of the trail.

Brown Deer’s Village Park works well as trailhead. It has a parking lot,  restrooms, drinking water, playground, sheltered picnic area, and walking trails. A concession stand and one-acre, man-made swimming pond are popular in the summer. The historic Little White Schoolhouse building is found here, next to a historical marker.

Village Park is reached by car from Interstate Highway 43. Take exit 82B west on Wisconsin State Highway 100 (Brown Deer Road). Drive 2.7 miles to Arbon Drive and turn right (north). Go 0.3 mile, then right (north) into the parking lot.

A path leads from the parking lot east to Brown Deer Trail. Caution is needed while crossing railroad tracks. Heading south at the junction takes trail-goers toward Milwaukee on the Oak Leaf Trail. Turning left (north) starts cyclists on a 0.6 mile leg of Brown Deer Trail to County Line Road, and the start of the Interurban Trail in Ozaukee County.

In Mequon, the Interurban Trail journeys north between power lines and railroad tracks. On the left (west) side of the path are the forests and meadows of Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat. This 35-acre preserve protects habitat for spawning northern pike in Trinity Creek and nesting sites for various bird species.

After crossing the creek, the trail progresses 1.6 miles to Wisconsin State Highway 167 (Mequon Road). From this intersection, nearby cafés and restaurants may be reached via city streets. Directly next to the trail is St. Paul Fish Company. Café Hollander is 350 yards to the east, with Colectivo Coffee next door. There, patrons enjoy tasty coffee with breakfast items on a cozy pocket park patio.

West of the trail are two other stops offering great food and drink. Foxtown Brewing Company makes a variety of brews that may be indulged with a burger or sandwich. Interurban Coffeehouse Bakery and Juicery serves Milwaukee’s own Stone Creek Coffee and other juice concoctions. The bakery produces a variety of breads, rolls, and pastries. This building has customer restrooms, and a water fountain with refilling station.

Trail-goers may dine in or take their fare to nearby Mequon Community Park. The trailside park has ample parking, picnic areas, restrooms, a playground, green space, outdoor swimming pool, and baseball diamond. The city library is next door. Mequon Community Park may serve as a trailhead, found at 11345 Cedarburg Road.

Mequon is the biggest city in Ozaukee County, and the third-largest city in Wisconsin by land area, although much of it is undeveloped. This area was originally home to the Menominee, Potawatomi, and Sauk tribes. In the 1830s, these nations ceded their land to the U.S. Government in various treaties.

The first white settlers arrived in the mid-1830s from New York, England, and Ireland. German immigrants soon became the largest ethnic group. Mequon grew quickly, and in 1957 was incorporated as a city to avoid annexation by encroaching Milwaukee.

With the influx of German residents, Lutheranism played an important role in Mequon’s development. In 1839, German settlers formed the first Lutheran congregation in Wisconsin. Today there are more Lutheran churches in Mequon than any other denomination. Mequon is also home to Concordia University-Wisconsin and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

Back on the Interurban Trail, the route leaves Mequon shortly after crossing Wisconsin State Highway 167 (Mequon Road). At Division Street, the path enters the Village of Thiensville and travels through it a half mile. Along the way, it passes several neighborhoods and crosses Pigeon Creek twice.

Near the second crossing of Pigeon Creek, trail-goers pass the site of an 1800s Potawatomi Indian village. No longer noticeable, it was located in present-day Thiensville, north of Freistadt Road. These Native Americans ceded their land to the U.S. Government through a treaty in 1833. They had left the area by 1838 when  white settlers arrived. They came from New York, England, Ireland, and Germany.

Joachim H. Thien came to this area in 1842 from Prussia. After damming the Milwaukee River in Thiensville, he built a sawmill and store. Thien was a freethinker and kept formal churches out of the village. It wasn’t until 1919 that St. Cecilia Catholic Church was built.

Thiensville grew in part because it was located on a railway line that came through the area in the early 1870s. As Mequon was quite rural, Thiensville became the site of stores, mills, and businesses. The village was incorporated in 1910, and is now surrounded by Mequon.

North of Freistadt Road, the Interurban Trail leaves Thiensville and returns to Mequon. It crosses Highland Road after another half mile, then climbs a gentle hill through a forest. After descending the trail turns left (west), and crosses railroad tracks. Passing a power substation, the path separates from the tracks.

Within the next mile the trail crosses Bonniwell Road. It then arrives in Cedarburg and crosses County Highway C (Pioneer Road). Self-employed lights help trail-goers across the intersection, but a sign advises crossing at the next intersection during times of heavy traffic. Another signs states, “Cross with caution. Vehicles may not stop.”

It is 1.4 miles from Pioneer Road to the end of this trail section at Cedarburg Community Gym. Along the way, the path crosses five streets and passes the Cedarburg Interurban Depot at Center Street. The historic depot served people on the electric rail line until 1948. Built in 1907, the restored building is now home to the Ozaukee County Historical Society’s archives and research center.

200 feet down the trail is a rest area with picnic benches. There, the bike route turns right (east) and travels through the Cedarburg library parking lot. It then turns left (north) and proceeds two blocks on Hanover Avenue. Trail signs indicate the route then turns right, cutting east through another parking lot.

Within this block is Cederburg Community Center, which serves as trailhead. Located downtown and directly on the trail, the Community Center offers heated public bathrooms, a self-service bicycle repair station, and bicycle racks. From this spot trail-goers may visit Cedarburg’s many attractions.

The Community Center is reached from Interstate Highway 43. From exit 89, travel west on County Highway C for 2.5 miles. Turn right (north) on Green Bay Road and drive 0.3 mile. Go left (northwest) on Hamilton Road for 0.9 mile. Then turn right (north) on Washington Street. After 0.4 mile, turn left (west) into the parking lot by the Community Center.

Today Cedarburg is a quaint, popular city. Its historic houses, inns, museums, restaurants, and shops add to its charm. Many of its buildings were made of  cream city brick or limestone. About 20 historical markers in the city share its story.

A special piece of land known as Hilgen Spring Mound Site provides evidence of the earliest humans in this area. Three conical burial mounds were erected during the Woodland Period, between 1000 and 200 BCE. Excavated artifacts date to approximately 480 BCE.

The Potawatomi tribe lived in the area until the 1830s, after an 1833 treaty with the U.S. Government forced them to leave. Cederburg’s first white settlers were Irish and German immigrants. They settled on Cedar Creek, calling the place “New Dublin.” It later was named “Hamilton” and then “Cedarburg.” Building dams and mills drove the community’s growth.

The coming of the railroad in the 1870s also spurred development. One trail-side historic marker describes the Interurban Bridge at Cedar Creek, and its use by different railroads.

Cedarburg was incorporated in 1885. Today the bustling city thrives on tourism. The  picturesque small town attracts trail enthusiasts, antique connoisseurs, history-lovers, and anyone desiring a relaxing day or weekend.

Several businesses in downtown Cedarburg cater to visitors. Trail-goers desiring a delicious cup of coffee may visit Fiddleheads Coffee, Java House, or Cedarburg Coffee Roastery. These are found blocks off the trail. Ice cream-lovers have the choice of Creamy Pig, Chocolate Factory, or Cream and Crepe Café.

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

Rebellion Brewing Company states that it offers beer for the people. Not far from the trail, the brewery 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.

The Interurban Trail from Brown Deer to Cedarburg is frequently used by visiting cyclists and pedestrians. Area residents also use this section of the path. It provides a way to explore and appreciate the scenic landscape and charming communities along the route.

Trail last ridden and documented in August, 2025.