This is a two-part trail, the west half running from Berlin to Ripon, and the east end from Rosendale to Fond du Lac. Each half is about ten miles long. I live in Berlin, so I am more familiar with the west section of the trail. I have biked several times from Berlin to County Highway E but only once (so far!) from Ripon to Highway E, going in the opposite direction. In other words, I have ridden the entire west section of the trail but never all in one day. I do, however, have plans to ride this trail on a regular basis, not only because it is so close to home, but also because it is generally well maintained (fallen trees cleared quickly, fresh gravel added on a continuing basis, etc.), and it is quite picturesque, especially around the Koro Railroad State Natural Area just west of Highway E. This wonderful, wild-looking wetland is home to many geese, cranes, ducks, and Great Blue Herons, as well as flocks of the smaller birds and mammals found in this part of Wisconsin. It reminds me, in fact, of some of the smaller remote lakes I remember from canoeing trips in the Boundary Waters of northern Minnesota. In any case, the Mascoutin Trail also has the advantage of being shaded for a good 50%-60% of its length -- a great advantage on a hot day -- and riding it regularly allows the biker/hiker to keep current on the ever-changing array of trailside wildflowers that come into bloom as the season progresses. Lovely trail!

May 24th 2008

I began my ride from the trail head in Fond du lac on Cty. Hwy. VVV.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning with virtually no wind when I took to the trail with my Scorpion Fx Trike. The trail starts out with smooth crushed limestone for the first 1 3/4 miles, and then gets some what rough. The majority of the trail is over grown in the center with grasses and dandelions which makes it a little cumbersome for a trike, but doable. The trail becomes smooth once again for a short distance as you cross the Eldorado Marsh Wildlife Area. This is a good place to take a rest, and just enjoy the peaceful surroundings that mother nature has to offer.

The majority of the trail is wooded, but there is the occasional farm field you'll encounter as well as a few residential areas in the distance. In the village of Eldorado you'll find the perfect spot to take a break, just relax, and enjoy a piece of fruit.

There's another rest area at the end of the 9.6 mile trail in the town of Rosendale. The trail is unkept beyond Rosendale, and is suitable for mountain biking only until the city of Ripon. If you would like to ride the10.5 mile section between Ripon and Berlin you can find parking on the corner of Hwy. E and Locust Road in Rippon, or in Berlin on Willard Road.

I found this trail very peaceful and relaxing void of any traffic noise.