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8. Sugar River State Trail

New Glarus To Brodhead (South-Central Wisconsin)

25 Miles (Paved For 1 Mile, Crushed Limestone For 24 Miles)

If decorative cows and a world-class brewery aren’t enough to attract you to New Glarus, perhaps the lovely Sugar River State Trail is. It beckons bikers who love these converted railroad track trails (like us). The trail features 14 trestle bridges (and a historic covered bridge replica) as you cross over the Sugar River and its tributaries in the setting of woods, farm fields, rolling hills, and prairies.

Pro Tip: From this trail, connect to the 40-mile Badger State Trail between Madison and the Wisconsin-Illinois border.

9. Sunset Trail, Door County

Within Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek (Northeastern Wisconsin)

9.6 Miles, Paved And Fine Gravel

Fish Creek’s Peninsula State Park is what I call the crown jewel of Door County. The park’s Sunset Trail winds through marsh and forest along the bay of Green Bay for plenty of scenic views. Check out Eagle Bluff Lighthouse along the route and enjoy easy access to the shoreline if you want a closer look at the clear waters or dip your toes in the bay.

10. Washington Island, Door County

Detroit Harbor Loop Route (Northeastern Wisconsin)

15 Plus Miles, Road Cycling On Paved Shoulders And Secondary Roads

Part of the fun of biking on Washington Island is taking a ferry to get there. We had a gorgeous September day to ride half an hour on the Island Clipper passenger ferry from Gills Rock, at the northern tip of the Door County Peninsula, to Detroit Harbor on Washington Island. The beauty of biking on an island is that you are never far from water views.

Schoolhouse Beach And Other Sights

From the ferry dock, we mostly followed the Northern Door ND#5 biking route (plus a few intentional detours) and saw Schoolhouse Beach, Jackson Harbor, the road to the Mountain Tower lookout (the tower was closed the day we were there), and Fragrant Isles lavender fields.

Pro Tip: Stop for lunch at the delightful Jackson Harbor Soup for great soups, salads, and sandwiches. Sit outside at picnic tables and enjoy the water views.

Trail Maps

Maps for all state bike trails can be found on the official website of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Additional trail maps:

• Peninsula State Park, Door County (see map key for Sunset Bike Trail)
• East River Trail

There’s something peaceful and wonderful about the perspective you get from the seat of a bike. Charles Schultz, creator of the comic strip Peanuts, is credited with saying, “Life is like a 10-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.”

So, if life is moving a little too fast, hop on your bike, downshift, breathe deeply, and enjoy the ride. These 10 beautiful Wisconsin bike rides in America’s Dairyland are a great place to start.