Mascoutin Valley State Trail

The Mascoutin Valley State Park Trail has two segments along an abandoned corridor of the Chicago & North Western Railroad. The eastern segment runs 9.7 miles between SR 26/Main Street in Rosendale and Rolling Meadows Drive near Fond du Lac. The western segment runs 10.4 miles between County Highway E near Ripon and just west of Quarry Street in Berlin. The gap between Ripon and Rosendale is privately owned, so if you want to access both segments in one journey, you'll have to follow an on-road route.

The western segment is the most developed and most used. The surface varies from crushed limestone, gravel and grass but is mostly adequate for hybrid and mountain bikes. The trail passes through farmland and a secluded valley among gently rolling hills with scattered ponds. Wildlife is abundant along both sections, since the trail passes through Eldorado March (eastern segment) and Berlin Fen State Natural Area (western segment). The corridor is mostly shaded in summer.

Horseback riding is available in Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties only and between May and October. Horseback Riding is not allowed on the Green Lake County portion of the trail (from Berlin to about 2.6 miles east). Snowmobiling is permitted on both segments of the trail when other snowmobile trails in the counties are open.

You'll find services in Berlin, Ripon, Rosendale, and Fond du Lac.

To access the western segment:

In Berlin, the trail begins at County Highway F near South Street. Park along city streets. Parking is also available about midway on Lake Road, off of County Highway E by Rush Lake.

Near Ripon there is a parking lot along the trail at the junction of Locust Road just north of Ripon. Parking is also available along city streets.

To access the eastern segment:

In Rosendale parking is available along city streets and at Taylor Park in Rosendale.

In Fond du Lac, there are parking lots at the eastern trailhead at Rolling Meadows Drive (near SR 41) and at the trail's junction with County Highway I (north of SR 23).