Glacial Drumlin State Trail: Sullivan to Wales

The Glacial Drumlin State Trail climbs in elevation 150 feet over 12 miles from Sullivan to Wales. As the trail’s ascent increases, so does the number of trail-goers. For the first 5.2 miles, the surface is crushed limestone and trail traffic is light. The route traverses hardwood forests and farmland, crossing drained lowlands that are now agricultural fields.

The trail’s surface is paved from Utica Road to Waukesha. It is 6.8 miles from Utica Road to the Wales trailhead. The section is popular with trail-goers on summer weekends.

In Sullivan, the trailhead is on Palmyra Street. It has a parking lot, restrooms with flush toilets, drinking fountain, information kiosk, self-registration station, park benches, and picnic tables. To access the trailhead by car from U.S. Highway 18, turn south on Palmyra Street in downtown Sullivan and drive 0.2 mile.

The village of Sullivan is named after the local township. A little community formed in 1881, under the name “Winfield.” A year later the railroad arrived, and a depot was built in 1884. Winfield began to prosper as a railroad stop and in 1915, changed its name to Sullivan.

Not many miles from the Glacial Drumlin Trail, children and history fans may be interested in visiting the grave of Charlotte Tucker Quiner Holbrook in nearby Rome. Charlotte is the mother of Caroline Quiner, who married Charles Ingalls in 1850. Charlotte and Charles lived near each other on the Oconomowoc River in nearby Concord. After marrying, they moved to Pepin, Wisconsin and are renowned today as the parents of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Charlotte is buried in Hoffman Cemetery in Rome. She was born in 1809 in Massachusetts and died in 1884. Her first husband, Henry Newcomb Quiner, died in a shipwreck on Lake Michigan in 1844. In 1849, Charlotte married Frederick Holbrook.

Back on the Glacial Drumlin State Trail, the route runs east for 6.3 miles. For the first 1.2 mile, it travels through Steuer-McCauley Woods, a lush forest managed by the Waukesha Land Conservancy. Songbirds and other wildlife may be spotted in the dense forest.

After crossing under Highland Drive, the trail bends slightly to the south and continues through forests to Indian Point Road. Just over a mile from Indian Point Road, the view opens up to a broad expanse of vast fields to the south and marshland to the north.

Where the land opens up, the trail passes into Waukesha County from Jefferson County. The Bark River comes into view, and flows alongside the trail for the next 1.7 miles. This Rock River tributary has a clear, sandy bottom. It begins by Richfield at Bark Lake, and flows southwestwardly, crossing the trail on an open expanse of land.

The sound of racing engines may be heard on this trail segment, especially on weekends. The noise is from the Badger Kart Club-Wolf Paving Raceway, visible to the south of the trail. Raceway admission is free, and spectators may see professional-level go-kart racing here, with vehicles running over 60 miles an hour.

Continuing east, the trail crosses Gramling Lane, which serves as the entrance to the raceway. Less than a half mile after the intersection, the trail crosses Scuppernong Creek and another marshy area.

The next intersection is at Utica Road. There, the trail surface changes from crushed limestone to paved asphalt. Half a mile further, the route arrives in downtown Dousman. Restaurants, taverns, and shops are found on historic S. Main Street.

A small trailhead with drinking fountain and picnic table is found shortly before the trail crosses S. Main Street. A gazebo on the east side of the intersection also serves as a trail rest stop. Trailhead parking is just south of the trailhead, accessed from S. Main Street. An additional parking lot is found near the gazebo.

Dousman had a post office as early as 1856, and the village was founded in 1881. It was named for Talbot C. Dousman, a local farmer and businessman who helped bring the Chicago and Northwestern railroad to the area. The village was incorporated in 1917. At one time the community was known as “Bullfrog Station” because of the many bullfrogs in the area. A frog jumping competition still takes place during Dousman’s annual Derby Days.

East of Dousman, the trail passes scenic 14-acre Spring Lake. It then arrives at Wisconsin State Highway 67. The trail heads left (north) along the highway for a short distance before crossing it. There are no crossing lights at the intersection, so cyclists should use caution when traversing the busy highway.

For the next 1.6 miles, the Glacial-Drumlin State Trail digresses to the north. It travels adjacent to Wisconsin State Highway 67 and then east along U.S. Highway 18. It finally turns south again before continuing back east on its original trajectory. The trail passes a series of small hills, and skirts a large farm field in this section.

Back on its standard route, the path crosses another branch of Scuppernong Creek and then intersects Waterville Road. This junction is the entrance to UW-Waukesha’s Field Station and the Wildlife in Need Center. The Wildlife in Need Center rehabilitates wildlife, with the goal of releasing animals back to their original habitat. The Center also conducts research and provides community education programs.

Just east of Waterville Road, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail joins the Glacial Drumlin State Trail from the south. It shares the route for 2 miles before heading north. Along the way, the trail crosses Scuppernong Creek two more times. At the intersection of U.S. Highway 18 and Cushing Park Road, a trail sign marks a bicycle route that diverges north alongside Cushing Park Road, and heads to Lapham Peak and the Lake Country Trail.

Cushing Park Bike Trail runs along the road of the same name for 1.5 miles. At that point, the trail splits. One route goes east into Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak Unit. A trailhead is there with parking area, restrooms, and picnic shelter. Another route goes north nearly a mile to a second Ice Age National Scenic Trail parking lot. Cushing Park Bike Trail continues another half mile north, connecting to the Lake Country Trail in Delafield.

Back on the Glacial Drumlin State Trail, it is 1.6 miles from the Cushing Park Road intersection to the N. Wales Road underpass. The route ascends slightly, and U.S. Highway 18 travels adjacent to the trail for most of this section. From the N. Wales Road underpass, it is 0.7 miles to the trailhead in Wales.

The Wales trailhead is fully equipped with a parking lot, restrooms, self-registration station, and bicycle self-service station. The facilities include picnic tables, benches, a playground, and historical marker. The trailhead bustles on weekends, and the parking lot may fill up during peak use times. Trail-goers sometimes use another area of 2-hour parking just off the trail, found to the west near the Wales Village Hall.

The trailhead’s parking lot is off James Street. From the U.S. Highway 18-Wisconsin State Highway 83 roundabout in Wales, drive south 0.4 mile on Wisconsin State Highway 83 and turn left (east) on W. Main Street. Drive 0.2 mile and turn right (south) onto James Street. The trailhead parking lot is 0.3 mile down James Street.

Wales has several restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores. Near trail by the Village Hall, Mama D’s Coffee is popular with cyclists. Set in a historic bank building with an outdoor patio, the coffeehouse embraces community and uses sustainable, environmentally friendly practices. They serve breakfast all day, as well as sandwiches, smoothies, baked goods, and coffee. A half mile north of the trail, LeDuc’s Frozen Custard is a treasured local take-out stand serving frozen custard treats, malts, burgers and comfort food.

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

The area surrounding Wales was first settled by Welsh emigrant John Hughes and his family. By 1842, the Welsh population had grown to 100. When the railroad arrived in 1882, the community grew substantially, and the village of Wales was incorporated. Welsh heritage is alive and well here. Signs and markers display the red dragon, a Welsh heraldic symbol more than 1,000 years old which appears today on the national flag of Wales.

Trail last ridden and documented in July, 2021.