Mariners Trail

The Mariners Trail is a scenic bike path connecting the cities of Manitowoc and Two Rivers. It travels 6 miles along the picturesque shoreline of Lake Michigan. Opened in 2002, today it is a much-loved trail of cyclists and pedestrians.

The route is equipped with many amenities. There are at least 7 wayside parks, many adorned with flower beds and sculptures. Restrooms, drinking water, self-service bicycle repair stations, benches, and picnic tables are located at these waysides. Several of the wayside parks also offer access to Lake Michigan’s sandy beaches.

Mariners Trail is paved with asphalt and in excellent condition. The route is flat for easy cycling. Breezes off Lake Michigan often create a headwind and keep temperatures cool. The trail is busy on summer weekends, so constant attention to other trail-goers is required.

There is much to enjoy on the trail, starting with amazing lake views. One  museum is located directly on the path, with others found nearby. Trailside interpretive markers convey the area’s maritime history. Sculptures and flower gardens beautify the path, including West of the Lake Gardens. This attractive botanic garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are two hotels directly on the trail, and local businesses offer food, drink, and plenty of shopping opportunities.

With at least 7 wayside parks on Mariners Trail, cyclists may access the path in many spots. The southern terminus is next to the Manitowoc River at Manitowoc Shipbuilders Company Park. A parking lot there may be used by trail-goers. The small park has a charming water fountain and historical marker that tells how Manitowoc’s shipbuilding industry contributed during World War II by producing 28 submarines for the U.S. Navy.

Next to the park is the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, which focuses on the region’s shipbuilding heritage. The museum houses the World War II submarine, USS Cobia. Several restaurants are nearby, including Beerntsen’s Confectionary across the street. This special candy store and ice cream parlor dates to 1932, and entering the store is a step back in time. Today they serve soups and sandwiches, and are renowned for their malts, ice cream sundaes, frappes, old-fashioned phosphate sodas, and hand-dipped chocolate candies.

Manitowoc’s name is derived from the Algonquin language of the Ojibwe and Menominee nations. Variations include manidoowaak and Manetōwak. Generally, the translation means “spirit-land” or “place of the spirits.” Members of the Menominee tribe once lived on the land that became Manitowoc, and ceded it to the U.S. in the 1836 Treaty of the Cedars.

Early Europeans who arrived in the area were French and British fur traders. In 1835, William Jones and Louis Fizette were the first to buy land here, followed by other Yankee and European immigrants. Manitowoc was chartered as a village in 1851, became the county seat of Manitowoc County in 1853, and incorporated as a city in 1870. Its early industries were shipbuilding and fishing.

Today on Mariners Trail, the trailhead at Manitowoc Shipbuilders Company Park may be reached by car from U.S. Interstate 43. Take exit 149 east on Wisconsin State Highway 42 (Calumet Avenue). Follow the state highway through Manitowoc for 3.5 miles. After crossing the Manitowoc River, the park is located to the right, next to the museum.

Mariners Trail begins at the parking lot at Manitowoc Shipbuilders Company Park and heads east alongside the Manitowoc River. It runs alongside the moored USS Cobia submarine and Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The trail continues east along the river before passing The Inn on Maritime Bay, one of two hotels on the trail.

After 0.3 mile, the trail arrives at the mouth of the Manitowoc River and the city’s large harbor. The path turns left (north), and trail-goers may want to stop here for harbor views. The North Breakwater Lighthouse and South Pier Light Beacon are visible at the far end of the harbor. The SS Badger may be in port or in transit; a 410-foot-long ferry that offers the largest passenger service on the Great Lakes. The ship takes passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan.

Mariners Trail next travels north for 0.6 mile. U.S. Highway 10 (Maritime Drive) travels alongside the path to the west. To the east, the trail journeys past the YMCA and city marina before arriving at Lakeview Park. Here, trail-goers may venture out for a half mile onto the north breakwater to reach the lighthouse. Park amenities include a swimming beach, restrooms, drinking water, picnic shelter, and pavilion.

As Mariners Trail moves north past the Manitowoc Yacht Club, a large ship propeller and anchor are seen on the club grounds. It is 0.3 mile to the first wayside park. Here the trail bridges the Little Manitowoc River, then passes a bald eagle sculpture.

It is 0.3 mile to the next wayside park. Mariners Trail travels along the shoreline, offering beautiful vistas of Lake Michigan’s sparkling waters on sunny days. On the trail’s west side, it passes the roundabout of U.S. Highway 10 and Wisconsin State Highway 42, the state highway that now travels next to path. To the east, the lake’s shoreline becomes sandier.

An interpretive markers is located next to trail about 350 yards north of the last wayside park. It reveals the history of the steam barge, Francis Hinton. Built in 1889 in Manitowoc, in 1909 the ship sank one-quarter of a mile offshore from this spot. The crew survived the wreck, and today the ship’s remains rest in 15 feet of water.

About 350 yards after the interpretive marker, Wisconsin State Highway 42 (Memorial Drive) intersects Reed Avenue. Traffic lights with a crosswalk and self-activated flashing lights permit trail-goers to safely cross the highway, if they’d like to stop at a Dairy Queen.

The trail continues running adjacent to the highway, and begins paralleling the west boundary of West of the Lake Gardens. These serene, flower-filled gardens along Lake Michigan are open seasonally, and admission is free. The botanic gardens include a bicycle rack at the entrance, and visitors may tour the grounds on foot.

This house and gardens date to 1934 and belonged to John and Ruth West. Upon their deaths a foundation was established, and today the public is welcome to enjoy the attractive gardens and views of Lake Michigan. Over 19,000 annuals, 170 rose bushes, and spectacular flower beds deliver varying  colors and scents. Some plants are over 50 years old, and this is a wonderful place to spend time.

From the botanical garden, Mariners Trail follows the highway north. It veers away from the lake, returning to a wayside park after a half mile. On the southern edge of the park the trail passes the Manitowoc County Chamber of Commerce. The wayside has a parking lot, picnic tables, grills, and benches. A floral kaleidoscope here was donated by the Manitowoc Garden Club. There’s also a fun human sundial, revealing the approximate time of day based on where a person stands. It was another gift of the Manitowoc Garden Club.

The next wayside park is 0.3 mile north. It has a parking lot, drinking water, restrooms, benches, picnic tables, and an observation platform to view Lake Michigan. A historical marker tells why the highway from Manitowoc to Two Rivers was dedicated as “American Legion Memorial Drive” in 1928.

At the wayside park, Mariners Trail enters Two Rivers. A sculpture called “Spirit of the Rivers” honors the culture and history of the area’s earlier inhabitants. The three individuals in the sculpture serve as a reminder that people have lived on Lake Michigan’s shores for many years before its cities developed. The sculpture was created by R.T. Wallen.

The next wayside park is a half mile up the path. In this section, the trail runs closely between the highway and shoreline. Amazing views of the glistening lake distract trail-goers from the noise of highway traffic. The small wayside has, benches, flower gardens, sculptures, and a self-service bicycle repair station. As with other wayside parks, footpaths lead down the small bluff and offer access to the beach.

A ride for 0.7 mile along the stunning Lake Michigan shoreline brings cyclists to the next wayside park. This park has a parking lot and beach access, as does the final wayside another half mile north. The park has benches and an observation platform. A free library stand is located here, and several other places along the trail.

From the last wayside park, it’s almost a mile up the path along the shoreline to Lighthouse Inn and Water’s Edge Restaurant. This family-owned lakeside hotel offers cozy rooms and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The large parking lot works well as a trailhead, since Mariners Trail ends abruptly 200 yards further.

Adventurous cyclists may want to continue riding north through Two Rivers to Point Bach State Park. Trails near the sandy Neshotah Beach on the north side of Two Rivers connect with Rawley Point Recreation Trail. Cyclists should follow signs and use city streets through downtown Two Rivers for about a mile to reach the Rawley Point Recreation Trail that leads to Point Beach State Forest. There, a six-mile trail winds through scenic pine and hemlock forests, dunes and fields.

In 1848, the city of Two Rivers developed as a fishing community at the confluence of the Mishicot and Neshota rivers. These rivers are now known as the East Twin and West Twin Rivers. The Washington House in this city claims to be the originator of the ice cream sundae. Today, visitors may tour the historic building and enjoy a tasty Cedar Crest ice cream sundae. The city also has other restaurants for locals and trail-goers.

Another historic Two Rivers feature is the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum. Founded here in 1880 by James Edward Hamilton, the Hamilton Manufacturing Company became the largest manufacturer of wood type in the U.S. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of wood type used in printing, and has the world’s largest collection of type.

Although a short ride, Mariners Trail provides a pleasant, scenic ride from Manitowoc to Two Rivers. The trail is perfect for families with young children. It is level, paved, and crosses no streets. There are plenty of places to stop and rest or enjoy the view. A stop at Beerntsen’s Confectionary in Manitowoc before or after a ride can make the day even more special.

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

The trail also provides historical context, with nearby museums, sculptures and interpretive markers along the route. Mariner’s Trail ranks high for its outstanding natural beauty- Lake Michigan views are incredible in any weather. A local friends group maintains the path and waysides, contributing beautiful floral arrangements throughout the warm months.

There is no fee to use the path. The speed limit on Mariners Trail is 15 mph. Bicycles should always yield to pedestrians, and before passing, slow down, and establish verbal contact or ring a bell. Slower traffic should stay to the right. Dogs must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash.

Trail last ridden and documented in September, 2024.