Earlier this week we told you about the oldest rail trail in the county that’s located in western Wisconsin, but Wisconsin actually has a rather extensive rail trail network.
And now a trail conservancy group is working to connect many of the trails to create a network of trails that would reach more than 500 miles.
The whole thing is a work in progress, but it’s not too far fetched to imagine a network of trails that stretch south from Sheboygan down to Chicago and west to Madison and even all the way to Minneapolis. The project would connect rails in seven counties – Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.
The system is being called the Route of the Badger.
The rise of the railroad industry coincided with Wisconsin's statehood. Our state was criss-crossed with different rail lines that were so crucial to state and national shipping interests.
From the trails in the suburbs and country to the ones that have been created in the cities, Wisconsin has more than 90 different trails totaling more than 1,800 miles. But many of the trails have finite starting and stopping places.
From the Hank Aaron and the Oak Leaf trails in Milwaukee to the Interurban trails in Ozaukee Count and Racine, there's already a solid foundation. Connecting those trails to the more rural ones, like the Glacial Drumlin will help make this trail a world-class destination.
