I started at the trail head in Cottage Grove. Paid my $5 and took off east. The path is mostly crushed lime stone and nice riding. It has slight grades but no hills. The trail is mostly straight and flat which is why I say it lacks features. Yes I know it is a converted train tracks. Lots of farms and fields with flowers. (features?) Also tree lined. It goes by many small towns along the way but they looked deserted. Didn't see many people.
I think riding the IPP and Fox River trail is better.

Went 20+ miles without seeing a sole, great trails, little rough in spots. One washout we barely missed that would have put you deep into your seatbelts

Such a terrible disappointment! Shame on the Wisconsin Department of resources for not maintaining this trail! We biked this trail about 20+ years ago with our children and it was wonderful. We started in Brodhead and we biked to Monticello and back to Brodhead. Yesterday my husband and I started in New Glarus and we biked to Albany and back to New Glarus. The only highlight was breakfast at the M&M Café in Monticello. This cafe has not changed in 20 some years💕.
I honestly don’t think there has been any crushed lime stone put down in that trail since we biked it last. Why is the department of natural resources not maintaining this trail? You have an absolute gold mind here, please realize it’s a value and put some time into it. Cut the grass on both sides of the trail, put down new lime stone!
The Chalet Landhaus is a wonderful place to stay a New Glarus, it is right on the trail.

We absolutely loved this trail. We started near the airport in Watertown Wisconsin and took the back roads all the way to the end of the marked trail. There’s a small 2 mile segment that’s a long state route 16 but it’s a dedicated trail on the side of that road. Loud traffic but just a small section so not that bad of a deal. Everything else is beautiful country roads very little traffic absolutely wonderful rolling Hhills and farmland. It took us three hours round-trip very leisurely pace of 9 mph Be sure to eat at the Main Street diner in Watertown

We did an 10.5 mile stretch from Elroy, WI to about 3 miles south of Wonewoc. Round trip 21 miles. We intended to do 30 miles but we're getting older and the air quality was terrible due to fires in Canada. That said this is a beautiful trail, very scenic, smooth, and a pretty flat easy ride. At a few of the road crossings the ends of the trail were filled in with sand instead of gravel, so watch out so you don't lose control. We chose the 400 due to having lots of stops with bathrooms. We were not disappointed. All of the facilities are clean and well maintained. Most of the small towns along the way have food and beer available, and the local folks are very welcoming and proud of their association with the trail. This has become our favorite WI trail. We hope to get back out there next year and finish the trail.

We camped at Blue Mound State Park and biked the first day to Dodgeville. The camp is at mile marker 22, so 36 miles round trip. Great scenery as the elevation is high: distant farmlands, golf courses, forest,…. The trail is in great condition, winding and rolling throughout farmlands, wooded area, prairies, and small rural communities. Our return trip was in misting rain and the forecast for storms later that week canceled our plans for the eastern leg until another time.

First time on the trail. I had a mountain bike, which was appropriate. Trail was mostly two 8-10 inch bare patches with grasses/weeds between. Otherwise, it was fine. Covered bridge was a surprise.

The prairie restoration is simply beautiful!! Many wildflowers were in bloom. This is a wonderful ride and highly recommend.

I rode the 400 trail from Reedsburg to Elroy as the last 20 miles of my ride from Madison this morning. I am midway through a cross country ride from Maine to Washington. Very grateful for rail trails like this one! Nice to have frequent public bathrooms, hard packed gravel, and shade. Some of the bridges are quite bumpy. Beautifully maintained town campsite in Elroy!