Explore the best rated trails in Onalaska, WI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Elroy-Sparta State Trail and Trout Run Trail. With more than 11 trails covering 227 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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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...
A straightforward asphalt sidepath trail, the St. Bridgets Bike Path runs along the side of its namesake roadway in southern Rochester, in a residential and commercial pocket just off Highway 63....
Forming a circuit around a suburban development in southern Rochester, The Gardens Trail offers a dose of natural beauty and recreation just off of the busy nearby highway. The trail branches off from...
The Southern Woods Trail is a short, paved trail that runs through a pretty section of suburban southern Rochester. The trail starts in the north where the 48th Street Bike Path crosses over Willow...
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
The Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
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 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...
The Badger Hills Bike Path is a suburban sidepath trail that travels along the side of 41st Street and Badger Hills Drive in northern Rochester. While not much to look at, this asphalt pathway...
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,...
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...
Paralleling South Broadway and 16th Street in the heart of Rochester, the Graham Park Trail provides a nice alternative to the busy roadways for cyclists and pedestrians, leading trail users along 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 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...
Running for over two miles over gentle hills, highway exit ramps, and creeks and fields, the 48th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that provides a route for cyclists and pedestrians in...
Running through the Meadow Park neighborhood in southern Rochester, the Meadow Park Bike Path provides a convenient connection for residents of the nearby neighborhoods to reach popular local parks...
A short sidepath trail that runs through a neighborhood in the southern reaches of Rochester, the Hart Farms Trail offers a pleasant asphalt path for local residents. Sharing the roadside with a row...
A neighborhood offshoot of the longer Zumbro South Trail, the Mayowood Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that parallels Mayowood Road in southern Rochester. The trail is relatively flat, running...
On the northwestern edge of Rochester, the 50th Avenue Bike Path runs across over two miles of rolling hills, an asphalt sidepath trail that follows the west side of the road as it passes through open...
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 40th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that follows its namesake roadway through a lightly developed stretch of southern Rochester, coasting over rolling hills and the edge of woods to...
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 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...
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 Badger Hills Bike Path is a suburban sidepath trail that travels along the side of 41st Street and Badger Hills Drive in northern Rochester. While not much to look at, this asphalt pathway...
The Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
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 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...
Running for over two miles over gentle hills, highway exit ramps, and creeks and fields, the 48th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that provides a route for cyclists and pedestrians in...
A neighborhood offshoot of the longer Zumbro South Trail, the Mayowood Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that parallels Mayowood Road in southern Rochester. The trail is relatively flat, running...
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...
_21160_sc.jpg)
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 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...
Paralleling South Broadway and 16th Street in the heart of Rochester, the Graham Park Trail provides a nice alternative to the busy roadways for cyclists and pedestrians, leading trail users along a...
The Ridge View Manor Trail is a short trail that branches off from the Douglas State Trail, connecting the popular recreation pathway with growing suburban developments in northwestern Rochester. The...
On the northwestern edge of Rochester, the 50th Avenue Bike Path runs across over two miles of rolling hills, an asphalt sidepath trail that follows the west side of the road as it passes through open...
The Buffalo River State Trail connects the towns of Fairchild and Mondovi along US 10 in scenic central Wisconsin. Although the rail-trail closely follows the Buffalo River, the winding waterway is...
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
Running through the Meadow Park neighborhood in southern Rochester, the Meadow Park Bike Path provides a convenient connection for residents of the nearby neighborhoods to reach popular local parks...
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 Southern Woods Trail is a short, paved trail that runs through a pretty section of suburban southern Rochester. The trail starts in the north where the 48th Street Bike Path crosses over Willow...
A straightforward asphalt sidepath trail, the St. Bridgets Bike Path runs along the side of its namesake roadway in southern Rochester, in a residential and commercial pocket just off Highway 63....
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...
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 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...
The Ridge View Manor Trail is a short trail that branches off from the Douglas State Trail, connecting the popular recreation pathway with growing suburban developments in northwestern Rochester. The...
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 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 Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
Forming a circuit around a suburban development in southern Rochester, The Gardens Trail offers a dose of natural beauty and recreation just off of the busy nearby highway. The trail branches off from...
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
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...
On the northwestern edge of Rochester, the 50th Avenue Bike Path runs across over two miles of rolling hills, an asphalt sidepath trail that follows the west side of the road as it passes through open...
The 40th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that follows its namesake roadway through a lightly developed stretch of southern Rochester, coasting over rolling hills and the edge of woods to...
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...
Running for over two miles over gentle hills, highway exit ramps, and creeks and fields, the 48th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that provides a route for cyclists and pedestrians in...
A short sidepath trail that runs through a neighborhood in the southern reaches of Rochester, the Hart Farms Trail offers a pleasant asphalt path for local residents. Sharing the roadside with a row...
Running through the Meadow Park neighborhood in southern Rochester, the Meadow Park Bike Path provides a convenient connection for residents of the nearby neighborhoods to reach popular local parks...
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...
Attempted this 23 Nov 2019. At least one 6 mile section is still closed from Elroy west, including a bridge.
The tunnels were also closed, making most of the trail impassable.
If not frozen, the surface was a muddy mess.
I'm sure this is a great trail when it's dry and all sections are open.
Rode south to north (elroy to camp Douglas) and back on our fat tire e-bikes. Good scenery, lots of bridges, super tunnel , beautiful weather. Yes there are potholes and even with the fatties, some holes were rough. The asphalt should be milled back to crushed gravel imo. However snowmobile tread and use during the breakup season may be why the surfaced was asphaulted.
The best trail by far that i have done so far. For the most part it is well kept. I started in Fountain and biked to Houston which is the end of the 42 mile-ish trail and then biked back for about a 7 hour ride total. This is a very welcoming trail for all levels. Lansboro is just a fabulous little town that is a must to visit. Always hopping on the weekends!! There is just enough towns and places to stop to refuel on the route. Will definately to this again.
Rode the Omaha Trail as an evening ride on our way to Madison. Interesting ride with a nice climb from Hustler WI to the tunnel. If you don’t want to ride the whole trail and just want to see the tunnel, park in Hustler for a quick ride. The surface is an odd chip and seal type pavement but generally in good shape. Quite a bit of surface maintenance is taking place near the tunnel with a new layer of gravel.
Unfortunately this trail is way too sandy. Having biked from Eleva to Osseo, this part of the trail, so I make the assumption of the rest is not for bike riding. It is however a beautiful trail, just not an enjoyable bike riding experience, more like a trudging through sand, it seems to be used by ATVs, which for them is a great trail !
My friends and I had planned to do the entire trail, but since it is closed from Norwalk to Elroy- we rode round trip from Sparta to Norwalk and back. The total is 26 miles. Trail was well packed, but a little soft from the end of tunnel 3 to Norwalk. Nice Mexican restaurant in Norwalk right on trail-good place to have lunch before heading back to Sparta. Tunnel 3 is amazing. Walk the bikes and have a good head lamp. We camped at the Leon Valley campground in a cabin. Early in the season and no one was there. Had a wonderful time.
some closed portions from horrible flooding but fairly well marked SB's otherwise decent condition
Took the trail June 1,2019. Camp Douglas to Elroy and back. What a beautiful scenic trail!
We do have mountain bikes and it was not a smooth ride due to the potholes on the paved areas and also very wet and muddy around the tunnel this time of year. None of this mattered though as we were well prepared and enjoyed this trail very much.
4stars only because the pot holes, would be better with the crushed limestone.¿¿
May 2019. The trail from Elroy to Norwalk is closed for now
only open between Norwalk and Sparta due to the floods last year
This is by far the nicest trail in Minnesota and maybe the best ever in the Midwest. It is all paved, sometimes flat, sometimes hilly. The town of Lanesboro and other towns that the trail passes through are a real delight. The towns are very welcoming to bikers. If you wish to stay in Lanesboro make sure you make reservations well ahead of time. The trail is so popular and well-liked that you will probably never find a place to stay at the last minute.
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