The Great River State Trail is a 24-mile (39 km) rail trail between Onalaska and Marshland, Wisconsin. It is designed for foot, bicycle, equestrian or light motorized traffic. It is designated as a multiuse trail, offering recreational access to the routes, and is open to the public.[1]
It is one of four connecting bike trails in west-central Wisconsin that spans approximately one-third of the state. The trail gets its name for running along the Mississippi River, hence "Great River" State Trail. It is part of the larger Wisconsin bike trail system, operated by the state of Wisconsin.[2]
The four connecting west central Wisconsin trails, known as the Bike 4 Trails, going from southeast to northwest are:
The trail headquarters is located in Onalaska and is open from May 1 through October 31. There is a $5.00 per day fee for use of the trail if one does not have the $25.00 yearly Wisconsin bike trail pass. Camping, lodging, food, parking, bike rentals and information are available at many points along the trail.[3]
The trail is constructed upon the abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway railroad bed. The La Crosse, Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad chartered to build from a point across the river from Winona to connect with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad at Winona Junction in Wisconsin near La Crosse.[4] This was completed in 1870 with tracks in Marshland. It features 18 bridges that cross over streams feeding into the Mississippi River. It provides visitors with easy access to the Nicholls Hopewell Mound, the Perrot State Park, and the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge.[5] The Great River State Trail passes through the Mississippi Flyway and is frequented by bird watchers.[6] Many wildlife species can be observed from the trail as it passes through beautiful natural regions, such as bottomland hardwood forests and Wisconsin's Driftless areas.[7] Some examples of the trademark Wisconsin species observed by visitors include great blue herons, egrets, and white-tailed deer.[8]
^"Resource: Great River Road State Bicycle Trail | Trempealeau Chamber of Commerce Business Directory" 2015-10-12 at the Wayback Machine, Trempealeau Chamber of Commerce, Trempeauleau, 2014.
great, river, trail, great, river, state, trail, mile, rail, trail, between, onalaska, marshland, wisconsin, designed, foot, bicycle, equestrian, light, motorized, traffic, designated, multiuse, trail, offering, recreational, access, routes, open, public, grea. The Great River State Trail is a 24 mile 39 km rail trail between Onalaska and Marshland Wisconsin It is designed for foot bicycle equestrian or light motorized traffic It is designated as a multiuse trail offering recreational access to the routes and is open to the public 1 The Great River State Trail at the entrance to the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge Map of the Great River Trail and connecting trails It is one of four connecting bike trails in west central Wisconsin that spans approximately one third of the state The trail gets its name for running along the Mississippi River hence Great River State Trail It is part of the larger Wisconsin bike trail system operated by the state of Wisconsin 2 The four connecting west central Wisconsin trails known as the Bike 4 Trails going from southeast to northwest are the 400 State Trail 22 mi or 35 km the Elroy Sparta State Trail 32 mi or 51 km the La Crosse River Trail 22 mi or 35 km the Great River State Trail 24 mi or 39 km The north end of the trail is on Refuge Rd at the intersection of West Prairie Rd southeast of Marshland 44 03 10 N 91 30 56 W 44 05278 N 91 51556 W 44 05278 91 51556 The south end is at the intersection with the La Crosse River Trail at a parking lot off of County Highway B east of WIS 16 in Medary at the former Winona Junction 43 51 35 N 91 12 06 W 43 85972 N 91 20167 W 43 85972 91 20167 The trail headquarters is located in Onalaska and is open from May 1 through October 31 There is a 5 00 per day fee for use of the trail if one does not have the 25 00 yearly Wisconsin bike trail pass Camping lodging food parking bike rentals and information are available at many points along the trail 3 The trail is constructed upon the abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway railroad bed The La Crosse Trempealeau amp Prescott Railroad chartered to build from a point across the river from Winona to connect with the Chicago Milwaukee and St Paul railroad at Winona Junction in Wisconsin near La Crosse 4 This was completed in 1870 with tracks in Marshland It features 18 bridges that cross over streams feeding into the Mississippi River It provides visitors with easy access to the Nicholls Hopewell Mound the Perrot State Park and the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge 5 The Great River State Trail passes through the Mississippi Flyway and is frequented by bird watchers 6 Many wildlife species can be observed from the trail as it passes through beautiful natural regions such as bottomland hardwood forests and Wisconsin s Driftless areas 7 Some examples of the trademark Wisconsin species observed by visitors include great blue herons egrets and white tailed deer 8 See also editList of rail trails List of hiking trails in WisconsinReferences edit Great River State Trail Archived 2014 12 28 at the Wayback Machine Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison 17 Oct 2014 Great River State Trail River Valley Bike Trails Archived 2009 05 31 at the Wayback Machine The La Crosse Tribune Trail Passes Discover Onalaska Archived 2015 03 02 at the Wayback Machine Onalaska Tourism Commission Onalaska 2014 Eben Douglas Pierce 1917 History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin Unigraphic pp 262 Great River State Trail Travel Wisconsin Archived 2015 01 12 at the Wayback Machine Wisconsin Department of Tourism 2014 Biking Discover Onalaska Archived 2014 12 20 at the Wayback Machine Onalaska Tourism Commission Onalaska 2014 America s State Parks Great River State Trail Archived 2015 01 11 at the Wayback Machine National Association of State Park Directors 2013 Resource Great River Road State Bicycle Trail Trempealeau Chamber of Commerce Business Directory Archived 2015 10 12 at the Wayback Machine Trempealeau Chamber of Commerce Trempeauleau 2014 External links editGreat River State Trail Interactive Map Bike4Trails Complete Map includes The La Crosse River Trail The Elroy Sparta State Trail and the 400 State Trail Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Great River Trail amp oldid 1160155272, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
