White River State Trail
The White River State Trail travels 19 miles through southeastern Wisconsin. It starts in the Walworth County city of Elkhorn, and ends in the Town of Dover in Racine County. Specifically, its terminuss on at Vandenboom Road. The trail is divided into two distinct sections, separated by a two-mile gap in the city of Burlington. City street bike lanes and a short path allow cyclists to travel through Burlington, linking the two sections of trail.
The White River State Trail follows the route of a former rail line. The Racine, Janesville, and Mississippi Railroad began purchasing land in 1854, and the line was completed in 1856. Ten years later, the company re-organized as the Western Union Railroad Company. In 1900, it was sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company. The “Milwaukee Road,” as it was also called, filed bankruptcy in the 1980s, and sold the corridor to the Soo Line. In 1985, it was sold to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The Canadian Pacific Railway never used the line. The railway corridor was purchased by Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources in 1999 for a recreational trail. A product of the Rails-to-Trails program, the path opened in 2003.
White River State Trail is part of the “Route of the Badger,” a project linking southeastern Wisconsin trails into a network of over 700 miles. As of 2022, there were 350 miles of connected trails. Extension of the White River Trail further east is part of a future plan. It will eventually advance from Vandenboom Road in Dover through Union Grove, Sturtevant, and Mt. Pleasant to Racine. In 2014, that portion of their line became available for purchase.
The White River State Trail journeys through farm fields and wetlands, and traverses the communities of Springfield and Lyons. The path takes its name from the White River, which flows 19 miles from Geneva Lake to the Fox River in Burlington. The trail crosses the river a mile east of Lyons, and other creeks cross the path as well. Wildlife, songbirds, and a host of tree and wildflower species are seen along the trail.
The trail’s surface is crushed limestone and in good condition. The gradient is level. It is operated by Walworth and Racine Counties. A trail pass is required for bicycle riders 16 years of age and older, and horseback riders. The cost is $5.00 per day, or $25.00 per year. Trail passes may be purchased at trailhead self-registration stations or from vendors in Elkhorn and Burlington. Cyclists should obey all posted rules while using the trail.
Route Descriptions