La Crosse River State Trail
The La Crosse River State Trail travels for 21 miles between Sparta and La Crosse. Though the La Crosse River is rarely seen from the path, the trail offers a pleasant, scenic ride through an unglaciated valley. Over the centuries the river carved a valley 60 miles long, stretching from Monroe County west to the Mississippi River. Today the river and bike trail run through the valley, along with Interstate Highway 90 and the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The trailside view of forests, fields and wooded bluffs in the distance is stunning. The path runs through Rockland, Bangor, and West Salem. They are old whistlestops along the rail line, each with a unique history and character. Throughout the path, trailheads and local parks provide cyclists with facilities and opportunities to enjoy this part of Wisconsin.
The La Crosse River State Trail is one of four segments of a larger 100-mile trail system called “Bike4Trails.” Beginning in Marshland, the Great River State Trail makes its way south to La Crosse and continues to Sparta, where the Elroy-Sparta State Trail begins. That connects to the “400” State Trail in Elroy. On this network, two other spur trails deviate from the main route. At Elroy, the Omaha Trail runs north to Camp Douglas. The 4-mile Hillsboro State Trail travels from Union Center to Hillsboro.
Like many Wisconsin bike trails, the La Crosse River State Trail is part of the rails-to-trails program. It was developed on an abandoned Chicago and Northwestern Railroad line. In the 1870s, C&NW railway builders chose this route to carry freight and passengers between St. Paul, MN and Chicago, IL. A century later the railroad discontinued the route, and the state acquired it for a recreational trail which opened in the 1980s.
The tracks of the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (the “Milwaukee Road”) still parallel the trail today. They are now used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Amtrak’s renowned Empire Builder train. It’s not uncommon to see trains passing by while biking the trail. These active railway tracks are the main reason that the La Crosse River is not visible from the path, as they run between the trail and the river, blocking the view.
The trail surface is crushed limestone and in good condition, despite occasional gopher holes which require attention when biking. In a few places, the trail bank rises above low marshy areas and have caved in. These places are well-marked to alert trail-goers. The elevation drops nearly 200 feet from Sparta to La Crosse, with variations in grade along the route.
The landscape surrounding the La Crosse River State Trail is mainly agricultural. Occasional pockets of the prairie grasslands that once covered this part of Wisconsin are present and managed, along several sections of the trail. Oaks, cottonwoods, and other deciduous trees grow in the river valley’s lowlands. Marshes and wetlands surround the river. Hilltops, bluffs, and ridges untouched from the last Ice Age loom over the countryside.
In general, the La Crosse River State Trail offers a pleasant, fairly scenic ride. Trail-goers should exercise caution and obey all posted rules. A state trail pass is required for bicyclists ages 16 and older. The cost is $5 for a daily pass or $25 for an annual pass. They may be purchased through the DNR or at the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce, housed in the old railroad depot alongside the trail in Sparta.
Trailheads, some with limited amenities, are found at Sparta, Rockland, Bangor, West Salem, and La Crosse (the Town of Medary). Community parks with ample facilities for trail-goers are located in Bangor and West Salem. Camping is offered near West Salem at the Veterans Memorial Campground, with direct trail access via a short 0.5-mile spur trail.
Route Descriptions