Explore the best rated trails in Neillsville, WI, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Duncan Creek Trail and Elroy-Sparta State Trail . With more than 13 trails covering 241 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.
We rode this trail early July 2025 starting from Eau Claire with intentions to go south to Durand and back. The trail starts in Eau Claire and is great with mostly new pavement until you hit the city limits at which time the trail degrades rapidly with cracks, bumps, foot tall weeds/grass growing up through cracks, holes, roots, overgrown grass and weeds on each side of the trail so as to render it single wide, etc. We made it about halfway and turned around in disgust as this trail was not worth our time and aching lower back. Clearly biking and/or this trail, is not a priority for the state of Wisconsin and has consequently been abandoned. shame, it’s beautiful country.
We rode the trail south from Eau Claire about 10 miles. I'm sure at one time this was a nice trail, but it hasn't been maintained and it's very rough. Make sure your bike has shock absorbers! The trail in Eau Claire is much better.
I rode the Duncan Creek trail in early June 2025. It was very enjoyable. I wasn’t watching my map closely and I ended up on the Old Abe trail that connects to it. Overall really good 5 star trail. Traveling cyclist Facebook
We’ve done this trail twice and really enjoy it. Was attending a conference in SP and decided to bring bikes along. Weather was perfect for riding so we took advantage and rode this trail. It was wonderful. Love the variety of ‘environments’ you bike through, especially Schmeekle Reserve. The train is well maintained. Only delay was waiting on a train for 45 minutes!!
I rode the length of this trail from Phoenix Park in Eau Claire to the endpoint in Durand and back in early June 2025. The trail was closed at Owen park but it was easy to get around it. Further down the trail there was a sign that about a mile or two of trail was to be closed from 6-9-25 to 7-2-25 which was after I was on it. At about 11 miles just north of Caryville the blacktop surface deteriorates and the trail becomes more adventurous. Just SW of Meridean the trail is closed for an impassable short flooded section. Traveling cyclist Facebook
I rode the entire trail in late May 2025 from Phoenix Park in Eau Claire north to Brunet Island State park and back. Just north of Eau Claire there are quite a few tarred cracks running across the trail for a mile or two of not so pleasant riding. Just south of Cornell there are some well marked frost heaves that are easily negotiated. Overall great trail that I rate 4.9999 stars. Traveling cyclist Facebook
As other reviewers have said, this is NOT a bike friendly state trail. I live in Mondovi about 1/3 mile from the trail head and have learned that some of the worst loose sand is in the first mile heading east. However, after having bought a "fat bike" with 4 1/2 " tires, this is very ridable. I personally avoid riding on weekends due to the ATV traffic. It would also be nice to have more public parking along the route.
So yes, the gravel isn’t the greatest, the bigger the tire the better. It’s a bit chunky and loose..gets chunkier in Price county, seems to be kept up though? It’s so worth the extra effort come Fall. I had very little issues with my gravel bike. It’s super peaceful. No ATVs allowed, but horses are ¿. Seen quite a few grouse and there’s all new bridges throughout! It’s quite the beautiful trail and worth enduring the subpar gravel.
Love this little trail with meandering through the woods along the river. Asphalt is in good shape too.
We have done the Buffalo trail in the past but today we did our favorite section-parked in Fairchild lot, went to Osseo and back. Beautiful day. Trail in decent condition. Some potholes and puddles. Ranged from gravel to sandy surfaces. Beautiful forest to drive through. Places to stop and get fuel/eat if necessary.
For years, we talked about riding the Elroy to Sparta trail and this summer we finally did it. We were to ride 1/2 of the trail from Sparta towards Elroy and then were going to ride the other 1/2 of the trail from Elroy towards Sparta the following day. However, one of the friends we were going to ride with became ill and my husband and I decided we would go ahead and get part of the ride in. Part way through my husband decided we would ride the whole trail in one day. We entered the first tunnel which required us to walk our bikes, wear our raincoats and use a light. It was very cool. The floor of the tunnel was wet and slippery and before even entering the tunnel I found myself with soaking wet shoes but they dried fast. We stopped just a little further east of the tunnel to use restroom facilities which were clean. On we went into Wilton, which I have to say we were rather unimpressed with. The toilet facility was sorely lacking in cleanliness and we found a picnic table that was none too clean either. We continued on to Elroy and surprisingly I was able to find an Uber ride back to Sparta to pick up our truck with no time to spare as a terrible storm rolled through. Fortunately for my husband, who was waiting for me, was able to find shelter in Elroy at their welcome center. We had brought along with us shower essentials and clean clothes and were able to shower in Elroy. It is free but they do suggest a donation which we were more than happy to do. Some of the highlights were the three tunnels and the remaining overhead structure that had wires that would hang from it to alert those on the top of the train (Hobos and brakeman) the tunnel was ahead. Also, we had a large buck come up onto the trail who did not know we were there. He stood there in all his beauty until he caught sight of us and quickly disappeared into the brush. Overall, I would highly recommend this trail ride. We may do it again.
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