BikeSparta Wisconsin

Phone: 1-800-354-BIKE

Email: Click here

Website: www.bikesparta.com

Address: Sparta, Wisconsin

Sparta WI, the bike capital of America. The Elroy-Sparta Trail is one of the most popular, and is part of a network of over 100 miles of scenic trails through Western Wisconsin. There is also excellent, and sometimes challenging, road cycling through the Driftless Region. With three rock tunnels and five small towns along its 32.5 mile route, the trail is a favorite Wisconsin (and popular for people from out of state) destination.

Traveling between Sparta and Elroy, the trail stretched through the communities of Norwalk, Wilton, and Kendall, passing by wetlands, prairies, farmland and unglaciated areas. The three tunnels are all over 140 years old. The tunnels near Kendall and Wilton are each about .25 miles long and the tunnel between Norwalk and Sparta is .75 miles long. Bike lights or flashlights and jackets are recommended as they are dark and cool even on the brightest days. Water from the springs can trickle onto the trail so it is recommended cyclists walk their bikes through the tunnels.

The Elroy-Sparta State Trail is directly linked to two other state trails. A bridge over I-90 in Sparta connects the La Crosse River State Trail to the Elroy-Sparta trail on the west end and the 400 State Trail connects to the trail at Elroy Commons on the east end. There is also a connection at Elroy Commons to the 13 mile Omaha County Trail. The Omaha County Trail travels between Elroy and Camp Douglas near Mill Bluff State Park. The Omaha Trail features a shorter rock tunnel that is about 2 blocks long.