Find the top rated trails in Monroe, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Pine River Trail winds on an abandoned railroad corridor between Richland Center and Lone Rock in scenic Richland County. Trail users are treated to stunning views of river bluffs, marshland and...
Janesville's Spring Brook Trail provides an important non-motorized route to many of the city's popular recreational amenities. The pathway begins just off the eastern terminus of the Rock River...
The Yahara River Bike Path, on the northeastern side of Madison, is anchored by Tenney Park on one end and the 17-mile Capital City Trail on the other. From one recreational amenity to the other, the...
Blackhawk Path offers a convenient way to traverse Shorewood Hills, a western suburb of Madison nestled along Lake Mendota. Increasing its value as a commuting corridor are plans to extend the trail...
The Pheasant Branch Conservancy Trail forms a loop within the scenic Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a natural area containing a marsh, meadows, forest and hills. The area is home to a vast array of...
The Military Ridge State Trail finds the high ground as it rolls across 40 miles of idyllic farmland from the outskirts of Madison to the historic mining town of Dodgeville. It follows an American...
The Puri Path is a paved route in Rock Cut State Park, a beautiful outdoor destination of more than 3,000 acres for the city of Rockford. The path runs through the heavily wooded northeast corner of...
The paved Rock River Recreation Trail winds throughout downtown Rockford and environs, following the east bank of the Rock River through Shorewood Park and Martin Memorial Park. Officially, the trail...
From Main Street and Elevator Road in Roscoe, the scenic Kinstone Recreational Path winds its way northeast through woodlands along the north branch of Kinnikinnick Creek to the Stone Bridge Trail....
The Kishwaukee Riverfront Path winds nearly 7 miles through downtown Belvidere, east of Rockford in northern Illinois. As its name implies, the paved scenic trail follows the waterway for most of its...
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
The Rote Road Multi-Use Path offers a paved route along the south side of Rote Road in eastern Rockford. It travels for nearly a mile, providing access to neighborhoods, businesses, and the Aldeen...
The Williamson Parkway Bike Path offers a pleasant, paved route through a residential area in southern Rockton. The mile-long trail follows its namesake roadway from Freeport Road (also known as S....
The Great River Trail is a breathtaking journey along 60 miles of the Mississippi River. The route is a mixture of paved rail-trail, small-town sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes on the street and a...
The Rock Valley College Path is a paved route looping around and through its namesake campus in Rockford. At its southern end, it connects to the Spring Brook Road bike lanes that continue east to the...
Built on a former rail bed dating back to the 1850s, the Stone Bridge Trail provides a crushed limestone pathway through rural countryside. A highlight of the trail is passage on Stone Bridge over the...
The Bauer Memorial Path provides a short route through residential and commercial areas of Machesney Park, a northern suburb of Rockford. The trail begins at the Harlem Community Center and travels in...
The Charles Street Community Path offers a neighborhood route through southeastern Rockford, connecting residents to CherryVale Mall on its eastern end. On its western end, Alpine Park is just north...
The Rountree Branch Trail begins where Chestnut Street in Platteville crosses the Rountree Branch stream and continues 2.7 miles to Keystone Parkway. The trail connects trails on the UW-Platteville...
The Perryville Path runs nearly 7 miles, connecting the communities of Loves Park and Rockford, not far from the northern border of Illinois. A pleasant place to begin your journey is Rock Cut State...
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
The Mel Anderson Memorial Path, named for a long-serving alderman of the Seventh Ward, stretches nearly 3 miles, connecting Lockwood Park, Searls Park, Bressler Park and Talcott-Page Park. Mid-way,...
The Pine River Trail winds on an abandoned railroad corridor between Richland Center and Lone Rock in scenic Richland County. Trail users are treated to stunning views of river bluffs, marshland and...
Stretching north from Freeport, Illinois, to the Wisconsin state line, the Jane Addams Trail is a natural wonder. Expect to see birds and wild animals-from exotic aerial hunters, such as owls and...
The Kiwanis Bike Trail, named for the Kiwanis Club that spearheaded the effort to build the trail, parallels the western bank of the Rock River through the southern Wisconsin community of Janesville....
The Perryville Path runs nearly 7 miles, connecting the communities of Loves Park and Rockford, not far from the northern border of Illinois. A pleasant place to begin your journey is Rock Cut State...
Blackhawk Path offers a convenient way to traverse Shorewood Hills, a western suburb of Madison nestled along Lake Mendota. Increasing its value as a commuting corridor are plans to extend the trail...
The Rock River Parkway Trail in Janesville runs between Rockport Park and S. Jackson Street bridge on the north side of the river. Here, at the trail's eastern terminus, you can easily link to Spring...
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The Wolf Run Trail supports a wide variety of users on its two miles of crushed gravel, situated on the outskirts of Mazomanie in northwestern Dane County. Heading southeast from the charming...
The Dorr Road Bike Path begins at South Beloit Municipal Park and parallels the roadway for its entire length. The views are primarily residential. After about three-quarters of a mile (from the...
This path runs along the north side of Highway 11 and south of the city of Janesville. The eastern end starts about 3/4 of a mile west of I-39 and runs all the way to S County Road D, crossing over...
This path runs along the west side of the North Alpine Road in the Village of Machesney Park. It starts at the Schnuks parking lot and stretches about a mile north to the Lowe’s store parking area....
The Cannonball Path runs on a railbanked Union Pacific corridor from near downtown Madison to Fitchburg, a southern suburb. A majority of the paved trail is complete between Madison's...
Baumann Park is adjacent to the Kishwaukee River in Cherry Valley, a community on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. A paved pathway runs through the park and loops around Baumann Park...
This path runs along Mitchell Road, starting in Machesney Park. The trail heads north and then travels east where it terminates at Sunny Meadow Drive outside of Russ Park. This short path is just...
Janesville's Spring Brook Trail provides an important non-motorized route to many of the city's popular recreational amenities. The pathway begins just off the eastern terminus of the Rock River...
The Glacial River Trail provides bikers, pedestrians, and in-line skaters with a 55.8-mile off-road/on-road rural route winding through farmland, prairie, wetlands, and woodlands as it passes through...
The Military Ridge State Trail finds the high ground as it rolls across 40 miles of idyllic farmland from the outskirts of Madison to the historic mining town of Dodgeville. It follows an American...
The Wingra Creek Path—also known as the Wingra Bike Path—runs along the winding waterway in Madison. The trail provides a critical link from the neighborhoods south of downtown Madison to the Capital...
The Puri Path is a paved route in Rock Cut State Park, a beautiful outdoor destination of more than 3,000 acres for the city of Rockford. The path runs through the heavily wooded northeast corner of...
The Rock River Parkway Trail in Janesville runs between Rockport Park and S. Jackson Street bridge on the north side of the river. Here, at the trail's eastern terminus, you can easily link to Spring...
Janesville's Spring Brook Trail provides an important non-motorized route to many of the city's popular recreational amenities. The pathway begins just off the eastern terminus of the Rock River...
Blackhawk Path offers a convenient way to traverse Shorewood Hills, a western suburb of Madison nestled along Lake Mendota. Increasing its value as a commuting corridor are plans to extend the trail...
This path runs along Mitchell Road, starting in Machesney Park. The trail heads north and then travels east where it terminates at Sunny Meadow Drive outside of Russ Park. This short path is just...
The Hononegah Recreation Path begins near the State Route 2 bridge over the Rock River in Rockton, a small town about 4 miles south of the Illinois–Wisconsin border. The paved trail follows Hononegah...
The Pine River Trail winds on an abandoned railroad corridor between Richland Center and Lone Rock in scenic Richland County. Trail users are treated to stunning views of river bluffs, marshland and...
The Rockton Main Street Path is situated off the Rock River on the southern end of downtown Rockton, a charming Midwestern village near the Illinois–Wisconsin border. It begins at Settler's Park,...
This path runs along the north side of Highway 11 and south of the city of Janesville. The eastern end starts about 3/4 of a mile west of I-39 and runs all the way to S County Road D, crossing over...
The Pheasant Branch Conservancy Trail forms a loop within the scenic Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a natural area containing a marsh, meadows, forest and hills. The area is home to a vast array of...
The paved Rock River Recreation Trail winds throughout downtown Rockford and environs, following the east bank of the Rock River through Shorewood Park and Martin Memorial Park. Officially, the trail...
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
This path runs along the west side of the North Alpine Road in the Village of Machesney Park. It starts at the Schnuks parking lot and stretches about a mile north to the Lowe’s store parking area....
The Great River Trail is a breathtaking journey along 60 miles of the Mississippi River. The route is a mixture of paved rail-trail, small-town sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes on the street and a...
The Glacial River Trail provides bikers, pedestrians, and in-line skaters with a 55.8-mile off-road/on-road rural route winding through farmland, prairie, wetlands, and woodlands as it passes through...
In south-central Wisconsin, the Upper Yahara River Trail connects the communities of DeForest and Windsor along a beautiful wooded waterway. Buffered by neighborhoods, the trail offers residents an...
Oregon Park East Bike Path is nestled along the east bank of the Rock River in the small town of Oregon in northern Illinois. The 23-acre park offers athletic facilities, restrooms, grills, and picnic...
The Long Prairie Trail began life as a section of the Kenosha Division Rail Line in the 1850s, when most small communities in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were serviced by the...
The Wingra Creek Path—also known as the Wingra Bike Path—runs along the winding waterway in Madison. The trail provides a critical link from the neighborhoods south of downtown Madison to the Capital...
The Capital City State Trail contributes to the impression that you’re never far from a bike path in the Madison area. The paved trail meanders for 17 miles from the suburb of Fitchburg in the...
The Rock Valley College Path is a paved route looping around and through its namesake campus in Rockford. At its southern end, it connects to the Spring Brook Road bike lanes that continue east to the...
We rode from end to end - 15 miles one way. Ice cream shop about 7 miles in, made for a nice rest stop! Parking and pit toliets available at both ends, and at several points throughout.
Love this path for a short week night ride after work. If you ride into the Kishwaukee Forest Preserve round trip is almost 6 miles. Prairie and forest with some hills that aren't too challenging on an asphalt path make it a great ride.
Just rode this path 8-5-2017 and although it is very scenic, it is not in good enough condition to bike the complete trail. It would be great for a runner but there are a lot of safety issues for bikers. The main issue being a lot of deep sand where it is nearly impossible to pedal through. I have an Electra cruiser and my boyfriend was riding a hybrid trek and both of us were disappointed to have to dismount our bikes and walk through the deep sand. In one area, the path was completely washed away and there are a lot of deep holes on the path made by animals.
Other than that, it is very pretty trail. It looks like they are possibly building a new area to park in the middle of the trail. With a little more care, the path could be a four star ride.
The combination of open fields, swamps, and creeks makes this path a calm and pleasant ride.
Only rode from Poplar Grove to Caledonia and back due to threatening storm. Trail okay in some places and pretty rough in others. But a worthwhile ride overall.
I've biked the whole trail in various sections. For the most part the gravel is well maintained, there are a few small sections where there is larger or sandier gravel to cover some storm washouts. You'll have to watch out for the occasional chipmunk hole and bridge transitions, but otherwise it's a smooth ride.
Riding later in the day will allow you to see a wide variety of wildlife, especially around the marshes near London and Sullivan. On all 4 days I rode on the trail, I encountered at least one deer on the trail along with turkeys, woodchucks, minks, all colors of birds and more. The wildlife thins out after Dousman (when the trail is paved) but the view gets better as the trail is quite a bit higher than the surrounding area. Wales to Waukesha is downhill and fast, but not too much of a hassle pedaling the other way. Your mileage may vary.
There are also some great river and lake views as you go across Rock Lake outside of Lake Mills and over the Crawfish and Rock Rivers between there and Jefferson.
The only other issue for people who don't like hills is the road detour around Jefferson. It's a bit of a climb on either side to get over Hwy 26, and the road that takes you to the next section of the trail is hilly also.
I have been biking on this trail for a well over 10 years and it is starting to show a lot of wear with significant rough spots. There is one section that has become extremely dangerous where heading west from Capron you encounter the first bridge about a quarter to half mile that has significant raised payment on each end of the short bridge. To be safe and not damage your bike you have to come to almost a complete stop especially riding a road bike (BIG CAUTION). It is still a fantastic ride just needs some attention in several sections along the way.
Likes: All asphalt for 14.4 miles, about 2/3 rds of trail is shaded by trees, not a lot of traffic
Dislikes: many rough patches and dangerous raised payment on a bridge section
My wife and I hit the trail on 7/09/17. Starting with the trailhead, very nice ammenities. Full bathrooms w/showers! The trail is well maintained crushed gravel. ( do watch out for the occasional chipmunk hole!) Start out with a nice canopy cover, opening a bit as you pass Rock Lake. Two miles out, the canopy gives way to wide open marsh. Mid-day ride is quite hot! The 1/4 mile bridge is no longer an option on this trail. ( Bummer: I was hoping to surprise my wife with that part of the ride) Because of the bridge closure, you ride in the open marsh a bit longer than before. But, soon you get back to a nice canopy of trees. ( Do put on bug dope! You stop in the canopy for a break and the mosquitos will eat ya alive!) All the bridges you encounter have a rubber strip in the middle and run length of bridge.(I believe for tire puncture safety) My wife and I hit our allotted time/distance ( at the moment 8miles out and 8 miles back) so we came up just shy of reaching Deerfield. Overall, a very pleasant ride! My Garmin said only 95ft of elevation. So, easy on the legs as well. We do plan on dropping in on different spots of the Glacial. We'll keep ya posted :)
Just rode this trail from Monroe to just past the tunnel and back. The trail was considerably overgrow on the sides and in the center in many areas. Spent the majority of the ride with 2 tires in the weeds. The tunnel is the best part of the ride. There are a few good pastoral views although mostly blocked by the dense undergrowth. Also, watch out for screws sticking out on the bridges where snowmobile travel has done some damage.
We parked at Big Hill Top park inBeloit where I was under the understanding it was going to be a continuous trail of Asphalt and go straight 6.4 miles up towards Janesville. It started out cool with Asphalt going downhill on a winding paved road. At the bottom it ends with no signs of where to go. So we wander around. 1 one leads to a field. The other leads to off road (which was pretty as it was along the river) it leads out to a road that you're supposed to go up to the left a little ways and cross into what looks like a path that hasn't been used in years. We didn't take it because it didn't look rideable. We eventually found another path onto peace trail and decided to give it a go anyways. Ouch! Led through an unused path that hasn't been mowed in months. Led to another road. No signs. No idea where to go. We used the roads to get back to path that was paved and went back to vehicle. Can't say I'll start in Beloit ever again.
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