Explore the best rated trails in Fort Atkinson, WI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Lower Yahara River Trail and US Highway 12 Path. With more than 92 trails covering 867 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Thank you to all involved in the creation of this trail! A beautiful ride with open country/shaded paved paths with some road driving but it’s a very nice ride!
This is a stunning shady trail along a small river. You will hike or bike over several wooden footbridges. Stepping stones can take you over the river if you’re on foot. Mostly flat with a few elevation changes. A couple of road crossings. Great trail for kids. Gets very busy on weekends.
This is well worth riding off the trail with true home made baked goods. I had the best sugar donut in years. Monticello and New Glarus make this trail one to visit.
I've contacted the Wisconsin DNR and received this update on the Monroe closure:
"Tracy – Thank you for your interest in the Badger State Trail. The Badger State Trail is fully open from north of Monroe, with only one detour around the tunnel near Belleville.
Last year a bridge was damaged and we were forced to close a section of the Badger State Trail due to this. This bridge has been removed and an at grade crossing installed. This was likely the area they were mentioning in the trail review."
If you ride on skinny high pressure tires and wear a lot of lycra, this trail may not be for you as other reviews indicate. However if you ride a mountain bike with good suspension and are reasonably fit, (I'm 63) it's a nice ride. There are always one or two jerks on ATVs but the vast majority slow down and give a friendly wave as they go past. I recommend weekday travel.
This is City of Waukesha walking/biking trail. Beware it has many intersections so use caution when crossing each road. Great connector trail to New Berlin and Glacial Drumlin.
I run/walk/ride it weekly! Peaceful, beautiful and flat!
Nice relaxing ride but there were a lot of areas that were washed out. The trail isn’t super exciting kind of flat but the bridges were nice.
There's nothing really to add that hasn't been said. But there are a few updates in 2023.
On the east end the NBT has been repaved to smooth out the trail connection between NBT, Oak Leaf and the crosstown connector. So you won't get the fillings rattled out of your skull anymore.
Trailside Bike shop now has a roadside workstation, with a lot of the parts you need to repair a bike. there's also a stand and air compressor. Something to keep in mind.
On the WEST end in Waukesha there's a new side trail. If you're connecting to the Glacial Drumlin Trail the trail forks to the left. Instead of going through the industrial complex you ride behind it to the newer "Waukesha Bike Trail". That will take you to the college, and with some street riding you can connect to the GDT without issue.
But beyond that, the trail hasn't changed much in the last several years. Well, the geese right by the Les Paul Parkway are meaner, but we all expect that by now. the NBT is a good trail, very well used and loved by the community.
The MRT is gravel lite. You COULD ride it on a road bike, but you really won't enjoy yourself. Mountain bikes or gravel / all road bikes recommended with at least a 38mm wide tire. The surface transitions from semi-compacted stone to broken asphalt several times, so the comfort level of low pressure high volume tires or suspension helps a lot.
A few things you might want to know from a local. The map on TrailLink doesn't tell the whole story. On the West end you can park in "Big Bend Village Park". There's an unnamed crushed limestone trail that starts at the far west end of the parking lot that connects to MRT. It adds a mile or two, but it's worth it. You can also park in "Cherry Street Park", which is right along the unnamed trail.
On the East end, the MRT links up to the "City of Franklin Bike Path", and there's a parking lot at "Ken Windl Park" with water and washroom facilities. It's a paved trail that makes a nice warm up. (Note : 2023 there is construction on W. Forest Home Ave. that blocks this trail for the whole year)
It's a trail worth take a day trip to ride, or incorporate it into a longer ride. Just know what you're rolling into, narrow tires will not enjoy this ride.
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