Great River State Trail
The Great River State Trail offers a scenic, fairly easy ride through the Coulee Region of west central Wisconsin. The trail passes towering bluffs and ridges as it traverses the prairies, floodplain, and backwaters of the upper Mississippi River valley. The name “Coulee” derives from the French couler, meaning to flow. It refers to the Mississippi, and the other rivers and streams flowing through this portion of the unglaciated and rugged Driftless Region. In this area the narrow ridges and hills are separated by steep valleys called coulees.
The natural landscape is spectacular, and there is also plenty of wildlife to be seen from the trail. A portion of the trail passes through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, as well as the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge. Countless species of animals live in the refuge, and the trail is located in the Mississippi Flyway for migratory birds. Unique native flowers and plants may also be seen from the trail at the DNR’s Great River Trail Prairie and Midway Railroad Prairie.
Interpretive markers placed along the trail and adjoining state and national lands offer insights into the area’s delicate ecology and human history. Near Trempealeau, the Nicholls Hopewell Mound rises from the land next to the path. This large burial mound dates to the prehistoric Hopewell culture. Euro-American history is presented at Perrot State Park, where French fur trader Nicholas Perrot wintered in 1685 and 1686.
The 24-mile Great River State Trail follows an old route of a Chicago and Northwestern Railroad line. The railway company opened the route between the Twin Cities and Chicago in the 1870s. The line was closed finally in the 1970s, and acquired for use as a state recreational trail in 1984.
About 100 miles of this former railway line is now part of system called Bike4Trails. The trail network begins in Reedsburg with The “400” State Trail running to Elroy. The Elroy-Sparta State Trail connects in Elroy, and the La Crosse River State Trail continues from Sparta to La Crosse. The Great River State Trail runs from La Crosse to Marshland. Bicyclists may venture off the main route on two spur trails: the Hillsboro State Trail and the Omaha Trail.
Reminders of old-time railroad days still exist on the Great River State Trail. The BNSF Railway still runs freight trains on a line often paralleling the bike path. Where the tracks veer away from the trail, the roar of fast-moving trains can usually still be heard when they pass by. Fortunately, cyclists don’t have to wait for these long, loud transports at intersections, or struggle to cross the grooved railroad tracks.
The surface of the Great River State Trail is crushed limestone and in good condition. The section from Onalaska to Midway is the best groomed, and most frequently used. The grade is fairly level. In its 24 miles, the path has 18 bridges, including iron truss bridges over the Black and La Crosse Rivers. Trailheads are found in La Crosse at the junction with the La Crosse River State Trail, in Onalaska at Great River Landing, in the communities of Midway and Marshland, at Lytle’s Landing on the Black River, and in the village of Trempealeau.
A state trail pass is required for all people aged 16 or older who want to bike the Great River State Trail. A daily pass costs $5, and an annual pass is $25. Trail fees are the same for state residents and non-residents. Passes may be purchased from self-registration stations at trailheads, at the Great River Landing in Onalaska, and other local merchants. Cyclists should exercise caution and obey all posted rules on the trail.
Route Descriptions