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The City of Franklin Hike and Bike Trail follows a corridor originally used by the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light, an interurban railroad in southeastern Wisconsin. The corridor was later acquired by Wisconsin Electric Power Company, which is known today as We Energies. The Hike and Bike Trail connects seamlessly with the Muskego Recreation Trail at the Milwaukee–Waukesha county line, taking you an additional 5 miles west to Muskego.
The 1.5-mile section of the Franklin Hike and Bike Trail courses through farmland from west to east and then abruptly turns north after you cross Forest Home Avenue. The eastern stretch of the trail runs through suburban Franklin, where you'll pass by playgrounds and residential communities.
There is no official parking for the trail. To access the City of Franklin Hike and Bike Path, take US 45/SR 100 north from Franklin to W. Rawson Avenue (County Road BB). Turn left on W. Rawson and cross Forest Homes Avenue. The trailhead is on the left between Forest Homes Avenue and S. North Cape Road.
Update: There is a new, paved parking lot for bicyclists and hikers at the edge of the town of St. Martin, where the trail crosses St. Martin Road, near Forest Home Avenue.
Very short trail, it does connect to the big bend muskego trail
This trail is a paved trail. The city of Franklin has done a great job of maintaining the trail as well as providing restrooms and shaded rest stops along the way. The only problem with this trail is that it’s too short. I’m hoping someday this trail is able to be extended further north and south.
This is all ripped up now, they are replacing the power lines. Still rideable but not relaxing
I road this trail on a sunny Monday afternoon, and it was a great ride. I parked at the paved parking lot on St. Martin Road in St. Martin. Rode the trail southwest to connect with the Muskego Recreation Trail and took it to its dead end about 7 miles away. Lots of wildlife on the trail, many rabbits and yellow chickadees. A hamburger and root beer at the Culver's restaurant in Muskego was a welcome break. Took a few side roads to see Muskego Lake and Bass' Bay. A very pleasant summer ride, about 15.5 miles.
The last time we rode this trail it was pretty rough. Late last year they repaved it. It's very nice now. And there is indeed parking off of Rawson Ave, on Cape Rd. What used to be maintenance building is now a small public park, Ken Windl Park.
I checked out this trail today and the southern portion is paved now. Very smooth ride the whole way.
We've ridden on this trail several times last summer. I don't remember it being paved but it was a significant difference going from Muskego trail onto the Franklin Trail. We made a left at the electric substation rather our usual route where we jig-jog around the church to go east on Church street which turns into Drexel to pick up the Oak leaf trail which is east of 68th st.
Going left on the Franklin trail, you cross Forest Home twice. It's nice to be able to ride on a bike trail instead of Forest Home Ave which is 40 mph road after the trail ends.
It's a pretty nice trail but short. The bathrooms are closed at the park near Rawson but it is December and it did snow pretty good here once. Although the snow's mostly melted now. Not very many people on the trail at the Rawson end.
Whenever I'd go east on the Muskego trail this would be a turn around point at St. Martins Rd. It since has been paved north of the road it is worth riding.
Not the best trail for a road bike.
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