I have read about a number of trails with tunnels in Wisconsin, but between the fee and the logistics, we always decided to ride closer to home. However, we found a good hotel deal in Madison over labor day weekend, and so we loaded up the kids and the bikes and set out for the Badger State Trail.

We drove to Monticello, approaching the town crossing both the Badger State Trail and the Sugar River Trail where they are mere feet apart. We went to the grocery in town to enquire about getting trail passes. The friendly folks in the store said that, though they once had them, they no longer had any for sale and they had no idea where we might find them. They also kindly directed us to the nearest trailhead. We elected to bike without the passes, deciding that it would be better to seek the mercy of the authorities than to continue to drive around seeking passes. The trail wound pleasantly through farm fields, although some of the road crossings looked as if a car could come up suddenly when we were trying to cross the kids.

Finally, the trail began to rise above the fields and trees below, indicating that the tunnel was close. There was a crowd milling around the tunnel, with some teenagers perched precariously about the entrance to the tunnel, giving my kids some unwanted inspiration. We made it through the crowd into the tunnel and confirmed everything we read about how dark this tunnel is. It was disorienting, even with a flashlight, but the kids loved it.

We went about a mile past the tunnel when it appeared that a storm might blow up, and so we turned around. Our second pass through the tunnel went more smoothly, without the crowd and with my kids feeling more confident from having made it through before. Fortunately, we made it back to the car before it began to rain.

Our drive to Madison paralleled the path. We stopped in Belleview to allow the kids to enjoy the nice playground, but it looked like much of the rest of the trail was on a raised roadbed next to the highway. While we enjoyed the tunnel (and previous experience with the Jane Addams Trail), I don't expect I'll be doing much more of this trail anytime soon.

For a fun ride with the family, start in Monticello. Go north through the tunnel to Belleville, and then return.
BUT!!! Take a detour on your return trip south and take a right onto Tunnel road instead of going through the tunnel. It will take you up and over the hill and provide beautiful views of the area. Then it will sweep you back down to the south of the tunnel and cross the trail again, where you re-join it.
(Do not do this in reverse. The uphill on Tunnel road is brutal from the south.)

The curved tunnel is great! More fun then the Elroy-Sparta ones because when you get in the middle you can't see the light at the end in either direction.

Neil

I had trouble getting a pass in Monroe, the Garden Deli was out and there was no pen at the station at the trail head. From Monroe to Monticello was not worth the price of the pass, there is little shade and no benches to take a break at. There was construction in downtown Monticello so there was no where to get a sandwich or ice cream even though there was a sign on the trail saying there was. I prefer the Jane Addams trail over this part of the Badger trail by far - it is wider, shadier, well maintained, full of benches and free. 8-29-10.