Bugline Trail: Sussex to Menominee Falls

As the Bugline Trail travels northeast from Sussex to Menomonee Falls, it meanders through forests, villages, and industrial areas. The route becomes increasingly suburban as it moves to Menominee Falls, but tranquil woodlands are still found in abundance along the way. A corridor of trees and bushes consistently lines the path, so the trail seems quite secluded, with views often obscured due to the thick vegetation.

The route from Sussex Village Park to Millpond Park in Menomonee Falls is 8.5 miles long. The path is in excellent condition, 10 feet wide and paved with asphalt. The gradient descends as the trails heads northeast. Signs at each access point identify trail rules and street names, and mileage markers share distances along the route.

In addition to benches along the trail, the route journeys by four parks with a host of amenities: Sussex Village Park, Madeline Park, Menominee Park, and Millpond Park. Trailheads are also located in Sussex, Lisbon, Lannon, and Menominee Falls.

Sussex Village Park is the perfect place to begin a ride to Menomonee Falls. The park is well-equipped with restrooms, picnic shelters, a playground, splashpad, disc golf course multi-sport courts, athletic fields and ball diamond. By car, the park is reached from County Highway VV (Main Street) in Sussex. Turn south on Weaver Drive, and drive 0.3 mile. The entrance appears on the left (east) side of the road.

From the parking lot, it is 0.3 mile north through Sussex Village Park to the Bugline Trail. Turn right (east) onto the main path which heads downhill for 0.3 mile through a small forest. Before Maple Avenue, a historical marker on the left (north) side of the road shares the history of the railroad line and the Sussex mills associated with it.

Two Englishmen, George Elliott and Richard Cooling, settled Sussex in 1843. Elliot was a bricklayer from Beckley, East Sussex, and Cooling was a blacksmith from Dorset. The community expanded over time, and in the late 1800s, the coming of the railroad and quarrying operations spurred more growth. Sussex was incorporated as a village in 1924.

Back on the Bugline Trail, the path runs for nearly a mile from Maple Avenue to Main Street. Along the way, it crosses County Highway VV (Silver Springs Drive). While the trail moves through a neighborhood of townhouses and apartment complexes, its border of trees and bushes delivers a peaceful, rural experience.

Before arriving at Main Street, another path leads off to the right (south) from the Bugline Trail. This is the village’s Corky Curtis Trail, a short paved trail in Sussex dedicated to Colin ‘Corky’ Curtis who served 41 years as fire chief and in other civic roles.

The Bugline Trail then briefly follows Main Street until an intersection with County Highway F (Waukesha Avenue). The Bugline route goes north, using a crosswalk to traverse Main Street. This is a busy intersection. Cyclists are advised to pass in the crosswalk lane, after using the crossing lights and waiting for a “walk” signal.

This main Sussex intersection offers several eating options for trail-goers. Belfast Station Irish Pub & Grill offers typical American and Irish pub fare. Directly next to the trail is Loca Latte, a coffeehouse offering gourmet coffee, sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and desserts. On good weather days, their main attraction is a large outdoor patio with fire pit. Other restaurants, taverns, and cafés are located nearby.

Now on the north side of Main Street, the route heads back left (west) for 150 feet. From there, the paved path resumes to the right (north) from Main Street. It passes a small parking lot on Waukesha Avenue that is an official trailhead. More amenities are found a short distance north at Madeline Park.

The path travels 300 feet north to Elm Drive. Bicyclists wanting to access Madeline Park should turn left (west) on Elm Drive. Madeline Park is another trailhead option, with restrooms, drinking fountain, playground, and self-service bicycle repair station. Sussex’s historic train depot was moved to this park and refurbished as a rental space.

At Elm Drive, the Bugline Trail crosses Waukesha Avenue. While a crosswalk lane is present, there are no flashing lights available. Caution is needed here, and fluorescent clothes and headlights/taillights are also valuable. Now on the east side of street, the trail continues north. It passes under a large iron bridge of the Union Pacific Railway before another spur trail leads off to the left (west) across Waukesha Avenue. The 0.8 mile path journeys to Mapleway Park on Maple Avenue.

About 0.3 mile after Waukesha Avenue, the Bugline Trail veers away from the road to travel northeast. It then bridges the tracks of the Canadian National Railway. As the trail departs Sussex and enters the Town of Lisbon, it moves into a new area. Over the next 3 miles, the trail passes through a unique industrial area that is the home of Lannon dolomite stone.

In this section, the path runs by multiple quarries and stone yards. Most belong to Halquist Stone Company. The buff-colored dolomite found in this area is part of the Niagara Escarpment, a geological feature stretching across the Great Lakes. The stone is named after William Lannon, who owned the land in the mid-1800s when the stone was first quarried. By the 1890s, 14 quarries were cutting stone, mostly for building construction. After World War II, the stone became used as a surface veneer rather than structural material.

For 2 miles from the bridge over the railway, it is difficult to see any deep quarries from the trail., thick forests border the path, and high mounds of earth surround the open pits. “No trespassing” signs warn trail-goers not to leave the path. For the most part, the trail advances through the forest with little notice of quarrying operations.

The trail crosses two roads in this 2-mile stretch, County Highway V (Town Line Road) and Good Hope Road. The thick vegetation surrounding the path continues. Just 0.3 mile past Good Hope Road, a separate path on the left (north) side of the trail appears. Signs indicate that this path leads to Menominee Park, a popular Bugline trailhead.

Menomonee Park sits on land that was actively quarried in the late 1800s. A 16-acre quarry lake, an old stone crusher, and the Bugline Trail itself are remnants of these excavation days. Today, the quarry is a recreational lake within the park. Around the lake, the park has 460 acres of rolling fields, maple forest, cattail marshes, and wetlands.

Menomonee Park has a plethora of amenities. Next to the lake, a large pavilion and concession stand hosts a summer beer garden. The park has a swimming beach, kayak rental and water access, family and group camping, picnic areas, playgrounds, dog exercise areas, volleyball courts, an archery range, and hiking and equestrian trails. For Bugline Trail users, the park offers bike racks, an informational kiosk, and a self-service bicycle repair station. This park charges an entrance fee.

Menominee Park in Waukesha County is located on Park Drive. To access the park by car, take County Highway V (Town Line Road) north from Good Hope Road, or south from Menominee Avenue. From the county road, turn east into the park on Park Drive.

Back on the main path, the Bugline Trail proceeds east from the Menominee Park spur trail for 0.4 mile to County Highway Y (Lannon Road). This intersection has roadside parking for trail-goers. It’s only 200 yards south on Lannon Road to downtown Lannon, which has several taverns and restaurants.

The village of Lannon is named after William Lannon, who moved there with his wife in 1834. The community was incorporated as a village in 1930. The region contains a significant amount of dolomite limestone, and quarrying began in 1838. These quarries attracted European immigrants who were skilled stone cutters. Lannon stone became a major source of stone for many cities in Wisconsin and Chicago throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Quarrying operations continue today.

The best view of excavations from the trail is 0.5 mile further east. After crossing Main Street and Larona Road, the path travels next to a quarry, providing a remarkable sight. Far below, the turquoise-blue waters of a 12-acre pond are visible through a chain link fence between sporadic bushes. The quarry’s steep sides overshadow construction vehicles. This view continues for 350 yards, while “no trespassing” signs warn not to intrude on private lands.

After the quarry viewpoint, the Bugline Trail turns north for 1.5 miles. In this wooded segment, the tiny Fox River flows south alongside the path. The trail crosses Custer Lane and Menomonee Avenue, where other roadside parking trailheads are located. No other facilities are found there.

After crossing Menominee Fall’s Main Street and Maple Road, the path turns northeast again and cuts through a large neighborhood. The trail remains concealed by its border of trees and shrubs. From Maple Road, it crosses five more streets before arriving at Wisconsin State Highway 175 (Appleton Avenue).

The route then follows the street to the left (north) one block to Shady Lane. Trail-goers then cross Appleton Avenue to the right (east) using the crosswalk, and continue north on Shady Lane one block to Apple Tree Court. The route then turns right (east) on Apple Tree Court for 175 yards. At the end of a cul-de-sac, the paved path resumes.

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

The Bugline Trail travels 0.4 more miles across Grand Avenue and the Menominee River to an abrupt end on Water Street. A Costco Wholesale parking lot on the east side of the street may serve as trailhead, but nearby Millpond Park is a better option. From the trail’s intersection with Grand Avenue, go right (south) on the city street for 2 blocks to Roosevelt Drive. Turn left (east) and bike a short distance to the entrance of Millpond Park.

This scenic park along the Menominee River has a parking lot, restrooms, picnic areas, covered shelter, and self-service bicycle repair station. The village’s Menomonee River Parkway Trail runs through the park, connecting connects to other parks. To reach Millpond Park by car, turn east in Menomonee Falls on Roosevelt Drive from Wisconsin State Highway 175 (Appleton Avenue). It is 0.3 miles to the park.

The land around Menominee Falls was first home to the people of the Menominee and Ojibwe nations. In 1836, after the land was surveyed, European American settlement began. The village was incorporated in 1892.

Today, Menominee Falls is a bedroom community of Milwaukee. It has many attractions, cafes and restaurants. Millpond Park is close to the downtown, which has retained many of its late nineteenth century buildings. Bicyclists who conclude a ride at Millpond Park have many downtown dining options, several in historic stone buildings. One popular place next to the park is A. J. O’Brady’s Irish Pub & Grill, which offers traditional American and Irish fare. Both the fish and chips and Reuben sandwich are highly recommended.

Trail last ridden and documented in September, 2023.