Rail trails in Wisconsin

Rail trails in Wisconsin
Name	Rail trails in Wisconsin
Caption	Converted rail corridor in Wisconsin
Location	Wisconsin
Length	various
Use	Cycling, Hiking, Equestrianism, Snowmobiling
Surface	crushed stone, asphalt, native soil

Rail trails in Wisconsin Rail trails in Wisconsin are multiuse paths converted from former railroad corridors across the State of Wisconsin. These corridors link communities such as Madison, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Eau Claire while following former routes of carriers like the Chicago and North Western Railway, Milwaukee Road, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, Chicago Great Western Railway, and Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. They serve recreational users and regional planners from institutions including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, National Park Service, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and local county and municipality agencies.

History

Rail trail development in Wisconsin traces to early 20th-century rail abandonments associated with companies such as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, and New York Central Railroad. Advocacy by organizations including the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Wisconsin, Ice Age Trail Alliance, and regional entities like the Kettle Moraine Land Trust influenced conversions beginning in the 1960s and expanding through the 1980s and 1990s. Federal policies such as the National Trails System Act and tools like railbanking under the National Trails System Act Amendments provided mechanisms for corridor preservation. Local efforts often involved partnerships among county board officials, city council members, regional planning commissions like the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, and nonprofit groups including the Wisconsin Bike Fed and Kenosha County Historical Society.

Network and notable trails

Wisconsin's trail network includes long-distance corridors and regional spurs. Major examples are the 400 State Trail, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, the Economy Run Trail, the Omaha Trail, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Trails of Wisconsin network segments. Other prominent corridors include the Kettle Moraine State Forest trails, the Great River State Trail, the Northwest Passage Trail, the Bearskin State Trail, the Tuscobia State Trail, the Mountain-Bay State Trail, the Glacial Drumlin State Trail, and the Devil's Lake State Park adjacent paths. County-managed routes such as the Interurban Trail (Milwaukee), the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, the Ben B. Gerhardus Trail, and the La Crosse River State Trail connect to urban centers like Racine, Wisconsin, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Waukesha County, and Dane County. Trail termini and nodes intersect with landmarks including Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Mississippi River, Fox River (Wisconsin), Wisconsin River, and protected areas like Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Horicon National Wildlife Refuge.

Management and funding

Trail administration frequently involves partnerships among the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, county parks departments (for example, Dane County Parks, Brown County Parks), municipal parks systems like City of Milwaukee Recreation Department, regional authorities such as the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and nonprofit land trusts including the Ice Age Trail Alliance and Kettle Moraine Conservancy. Funding sources include state appropriations via the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, federal grants from agencies like the United States Department of Transportation, National Park Service trail grants, and discretionary funding through elected bodies such as the Wisconsin Legislature and county boards. Private philanthropy and corporate sponsors such as foundations tied to Kohl's Corporation, S.C. Johnson & Son, and regional utilities have supported surface improvements, while volunteer groups including local Kiwanis International clubs and Boy Scouts of America troops contribute maintenance labor.

Activities and amenities

Trails accommodate activities promoted by organizations such as American Hiking Society, Adventure Cycling Association, International Mountain Bicycling Association, and National Ski Areas Association affiliates. Popular uses include Cycling, Hiking, Running, Cross-country skiing, Snowmobiling (on designated routes), and Equestrianism. Amenities along corridors typically include trailheads with parking served by Amtrak stations or park-and-ride lots in counties like Outagamie County and Winnebago County, restroom facilities, interpretive signage developed in cooperation with local historical societies e.g., the Milwaukee County Historical Society, and wayfinding coordinated by regional planning agencies such as the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission. Businesses in towns like Sparta, Wisconsin, Elroy, Wisconsin, Waupaca, Wisconsin, and New Lisbon, Wisconsin provide outfitters, bike rental shops, cafes, and bed-and-breakfasts.

Environmental and cultural impacts

Conversion projects intersect with conservation organizations such as the The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, and the Audubon Society of Wisconsin. Trails provide habitat corridors adjacent to landscapes like the Kettle Moraine, Driftless Area, and shoreline systems along Lake Winnebago, enhancing connectivity for species monitored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and researchers at institutions such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. Cultural impacts include heritage tourism connected to rail history preserved by museums like the Mid-Continent Railway Museum and the Hjerpe Heritage Center, interpretive plaques honoring Indigenous histories involving tribes such as the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, the Ho-Chunk Nation, and the Oneida Nation; collaborations often involve tribal historic preservation offices. Economic studies by regional universities and agencies report benefits to downtown revitalization in towns like Platteville, Wisconsin and Chippewa Falls.

Trail development and conversion process

Conversion steps typically follow models used by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and legal mechanisms established in the National Trails System Act Amendments for railbanking and corridor acquisition. Processes involve environmental reviews under state statutes coordinated with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission when utility easements exist, approvals by county boards such as Waukesha County Board of Supervisors or Brown County Board of Supervisors, and grant applications to state programs like the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and federal Transportation Alternatives Program. Engineering and construction often contract with firms that previously worked on projects for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and involve standards recommended by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Community engagement includes public hearings held by city councils in places like Madison, Wisconsin and stakeholder meetings with organizations such as the Wisconsin Bike Fed and local chambers of commerce.

Category:Trails in Wisconsin