Explore the best rated trails in La Crosse, WI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Elroy-Sparta State Trail and Vietnam Veterans Trail (WI). With more than 16 trails covering 198 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.
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The Harmony–Preston Valley State Trail runs 18 miles on a north-south line between the town of Harmony and the Root River State Trail, which it meets between Lanesboro and Fountain. The paved trail is...
Along much of its route, the Root River State Trail follows the winding course of its namesake river for 42 miles through the Minnesota towns of Fountain, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and...
This trail and bike-ped bridge are named for a La Crosse resident and trail lover, whose independent efforts to create a walking path in the 1950s would pave the way for this trail. The hard surface...
The 4.3-mile Hillsboro State Trail will make you feel instantly at home. Easy and flat, this gravel trail will take you on a short excursion from Hillsboro to Union Center. But this trail is more of a...
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The Swift Creek Trail combines a trail segment running the length of Isle la Plume and a walking trail that was the initiative of staff of the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. The trail begins in...
The Trout Run Trail provides an experience unique to any other in Iowa, with a hilly landscape that reminds trail users of the meteorite that struck the area long ago. The trail actually loops all the...
The 12.5-mile Omaha Trail passes through a wonderland of towering buttes, mesas, and pinnacles that seem more at home in an arid desert than in fertile farmland. The steep sandstone formations, some...
Traveling the 400 State Trail is a numbers game. The trail’s name refers to the old Chicago and North Western Railway’s “No. 400” passenger train that zoomed through here between Chicago and St....
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La Crosse's Marsh Trail Network is a collection of paved and unpaved trails occupying the 1000 acre wetland where the La Crosse River meets the Mississippi River. The marsh, which lies minutes from...
La Crosse's marshlands sit on a thousand acres in the heart of the city. The wetlands occur where the La Crosse and Mississippi rivers meet. The Marsh Trail Network is a cluster of paved and unpaved...
The Grand Crossing Trail is a north-south trail located in La Crosse's marshlands. The hard-surface trail begins on River Valley Drive and extends south to Myrick Park Drive. The trail offers an...
The La Crosse River valley provides level terrain through a rugged area of western Wisconsin for the La Crosse River State Trail. This screened-limestone rail-with-trail passes through farmland,...
Utter darkness is as much a part of the scenery along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail as the views of the rolling hills and farmland. That’s because visitors pass through three hand-dug railroad tunnels...
The Jim Asfoor Trail is a paved hike-and-bike trail within La Crosse's marshlands. The trail is part of the Marsh Trail Network, cluster of paved and unpaved trails occupying the thousand-acre wetland...
La Crosse's marshlands sit on a thousand acres in the heart of the city. The wetlands occur where the La Crosse and Mississippi rivers meet. The Marsh Trail Network is a cluster of paved and unpaved...
The Harmony–Preston Valley State Trail runs 18 miles on a north-south line between the town of Harmony and the Root River State Trail, which it meets between Lanesboro and Fountain. The paved trail is...
This trail and bike-ped bridge are named for a La Crosse resident and trail lover, whose independent efforts to create a walking path in the 1950s would pave the way for this trail. The hard surface...
The Great River State Trail is named for the Mississippi River, but Ol’ Man River stays mostly out of sight if you follow this 24-mile trail through river marshes, wildlife preserves, hardwood...
Utter darkness is as much a part of the scenery along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail as the views of the rolling hills and farmland. That’s because visitors pass through three hand-dug railroad tunnels...
The La Crosse River valley provides level terrain through a rugged area of western Wisconsin for the La Crosse River State Trail. This screened-limestone rail-with-trail passes through farmland,...
The Jim Asfoor Trail is a paved hike-and-bike trail within La Crosse's marshlands. The trail is part of the Marsh Trail Network, cluster of paved and unpaved trails occupying the thousand-acre wetland...
La Crosse's Marsh Trail Network is a collection of paved and unpaved trails occupying the 1000 acre wetland where the La Crosse River meets the Mississippi River. The marsh, which lies minutes from...
The 4.3-mile Hillsboro State Trail will make you feel instantly at home. Easy and flat, this gravel trail will take you on a short excursion from Hillsboro to Union Center. But this trail is more of a...
The 12.5-mile Omaha Trail passes through a wonderland of towering buttes, mesas, and pinnacles that seem more at home in an arid desert than in fertile farmland. The steep sandstone formations, some...
The Grand Crossing Trail is a north-south trail located in La Crosse's marshlands. The hard-surface trail begins on River Valley Drive and extends south to Myrick Park Drive. The trail offers an...
The Trout Run Trail provides an experience unique to any other in Iowa, with a hilly landscape that reminds trail users of the meteorite that struck the area long ago. The trail actually loops all the...
The Swift Creek Trail combines a trail segment running the length of Isle la Plume and a walking trail that was the initiative of staff of the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. The trail begins in...
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Iowa's Yellow River State Forest contains a sprawling network of hiking, equestrian and bicycle trails. The Paint Creek Trail, which occupies a segment of an abandoned railroad corridor, is the only...
Traveling the 400 State Trail is a numbers game. The trail’s name refers to the old Chicago and North Western Railway’s “No. 400” passenger train that zoomed through here between Chicago and St....
Along much of its route, the Root River State Trail follows the winding course of its namesake river for 42 miles through the Minnesota towns of Fountain, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and...
Utter darkness is as much a part of the scenery along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail as the views of the rolling hills and farmland. That’s because visitors pass through three hand-dug railroad tunnels...
La Crosse's Marsh Trail Network is a collection of paved and unpaved trails occupying the 1000 acre wetland where the La Crosse River meets the Mississippi River. The marsh, which lies minutes from...
The La Crosse River valley provides level terrain through a rugged area of western Wisconsin for the La Crosse River State Trail. This screened-limestone rail-with-trail passes through farmland,...
Iowa's Yellow River State Forest contains a sprawling network of hiking, equestrian and bicycle trails. The Paint Creek Trail, which occupies a segment of an abandoned railroad corridor, is the only...
The Great River State Trail is named for the Mississippi River, but Ol’ Man River stays mostly out of sight if you follow this 24-mile trail through river marshes, wildlife preserves, hardwood...
The Trout Run Trail provides an experience unique to any other in Iowa, with a hilly landscape that reminds trail users of the meteorite that struck the area long ago. The trail actually loops all the...
The Swift Creek Trail combines a trail segment running the length of Isle la Plume and a walking trail that was the initiative of staff of the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. The trail begins in...
The Jim Asfoor Trail is a paved hike-and-bike trail within La Crosse's marshlands. The trail is part of the Marsh Trail Network, cluster of paved and unpaved trails occupying the thousand-acre wetland...
The 4.3-mile Hillsboro State Trail will make you feel instantly at home. Easy and flat, this gravel trail will take you on a short excursion from Hillsboro to Union Center. But this trail is more of a...
Traveling the 400 State Trail is a numbers game. The trail’s name refers to the old Chicago and North Western Railway’s “No. 400” passenger train that zoomed through here between Chicago and St....
The Grand Crossing Trail is a north-south trail located in La Crosse's marshlands. The hard-surface trail begins on River Valley Drive and extends south to Myrick Park Drive. The trail offers an...
The 12.5-mile Omaha Trail passes through a wonderland of towering buttes, mesas, and pinnacles that seem more at home in an arid desert than in fertile farmland. The steep sandstone formations, some...
La Crosse's marshlands sit on a thousand acres in the heart of the city. The wetlands occur where the La Crosse and Mississippi rivers meet. The Marsh Trail Network is a cluster of paved and unpaved...
This trail and bike-ped bridge are named for a La Crosse resident and trail lover, whose independent efforts to create a walking path in the 1950s would pave the way for this trail. The hard surface...
The Harmony–Preston Valley State Trail runs 18 miles on a north-south line between the town of Harmony and the Root River State Trail, which it meets between Lanesboro and Fountain. The paved trail is...
Along much of its route, the Root River State Trail follows the winding course of its namesake river for 42 miles through the Minnesota towns of Fountain, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and...
We rode this trail late October and sadly missed most of the color, but the trail did not disappoint. My favorite part is from Peterson to Preston. There was very little traffic, few cross streets, mostly flat, and lots of beautiful views. The section going down to Preston was a little rougher than the Root River trail, but probably our favorite section for views. If you want a delicious meal, eat at Old Village Hall in Lanesboro. It was a little expensive, but some of the best food I've ever had!
This trail has so many amazing views along the way it’s a must do! We started at the hilly end and it was pretty intense for about 4 miles or so. After that it was a lot more level and enjoyable. The trout hatchery was a cool place along the way with trout of all sizes , some of them quite huge. There was also a gorgeous waterfall behind the hatchery! The trail meanders over bridges, along streams, and past scenic overlooks. Watch for the Decorah Eagles Nest which has signage on the trail.
We haven't done many trails yet, but by far this is the prettiest one so far!! The roads along the trail had little to no traffic, making the ride quiet and peaceful. The tunnel was an awesome addition to the ride also.
This is a beautiful trail and Decorah is a lovely Iowa town. My husband and I enjoyed the challenge of the hills. After reading these reviews we also decided to do the hills first. We totally forgot about the challenge of the hills by the time we got to downtown for pizza and ice cream! However, we will never forget the beautiful Iowa scenery! A great day of riding!
I have not ridden for years due to health concerns and double knee replacements. After losing almost 130 lbs. I have just begin to ride again. We did a portion of this trail and it was great!!
The pavement is in great condition, bridges are smooth. Check ahead for business hours if you are visiting on a weekday and want lunch on the trail. We stayed at the Stone Mill Inn in Lanesboro and they have a bike shed available, I recommend them.
9/14/20 with road bikes. Trail has serious issues: very rough bridge approaches (~ 10 bridges), cracks/holes in pavement, washout which created about 18" wide of rideable trail for about 50'. The curves make it difficult to see issues early.
We had a great ride on this trail today. We rode from La Crosse to Sparta and back. 42 miles. There is a tree down about 5 2/3 miles from La Crosse. There is a way around it but it is also pretty buggy there. We thoroughly enjoyed this ride. Trail is in very good shape and very scenic. Since the Elroy Sparta trail is in bad repair, I would highly recommend this trail.
We went yesterday and honestly one of the best trails I’ve ever been on. Beautiful and easy to ride. Love, love, loved it!!!
If you live in the La Crossse area, this is a great trail to experience. It's an easy walk, jog, or bike experience from Onalaska to Trempleau.
However, there are no (MAYBE one) bathroom facilities on this trail. You may be tempted to just jump off trail into the shrubbery only to find out you made a critical mistake: poison ivy.
Be warned, if you start itching get checkout ASAP, don't wait 2 weeks like I did and feel awesome for 3 months.
This trail is an easy 3.5 out of 5 stars. Is there a potential for 4 stars, by all means yes.
Rode from Kendall to Sparta using a shuttle. This hits all tunnels, but required a road detour from closure at Logan Road to Midway Road to get to trail resumption in Wilton. The hills on this detour nearly killed me, but it was incredibly scenic. The tunnels are unmatched in beauty. On a sunny day, it was raining inside the biggest tunnel. Very awesome.
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