About Bicycles Online > Bicycle Touring and Trails > LaCrosse-River-Trail

The LaCrosse River Trail, Wisconsin

Article and photos by Dale Kiffel 

The La Crosse River State Trail is a 22 mile rails to trails endeavor and follows the abandoned Chicago and Northwestern railroad bed. The trail traverses a mixture of prairie remnants, farmlands, trout streams, hardwood forests and wetlands. It passes through the communities of Sparta, Rockland, Bangor, West Salem, and Medary. The trail connects to the Elroy-Sparta Trail in Sparta, and the The Great River Trail in Medary. A Wisconsin trail pass (4$/day or $15/yr) is required.

Here's a link to the LaCrosse River Trail Map

This article includes first hand descriptions and plenty of photos of the Lacrosse River Trail going from Sparta, Wisconsin to just west of Rockland. (September 2006).

---

Bike Trail Information

The LaCrosse River Trail in Wisconsin is 21.5 miles one way and connects to the Great River Trail on the west end and the Elroy-Sparta trail on the east. The 4 connecting west central Wisconsin trails (aka Bike 4 Trails) going from southeast to northwest are:

• The 400 Trail (22 miles)
• The Elroy-Sparta Trail (32 miles (and 3 tunnels))
• The LaCrosse-River-Trail (22 miles)
• Great River Trail (24 miles)

Daily or annual State trail passes are required for riders age 16 and older. Currently the pass is $4.00 /day or you can choose the $15.00 yearly pass (good for all Wisconsin state trails).

Lacrosse River Trail Photos

Here's the photo page for the Lacrosse River State Trail, Sparta, Wisconsin to just west of Rockland. These pictures are from September 2006.

LaCrosse River Trail, Wisconsin
(From Sparta, Wisconsin to just past Rockland, Wisconsin)

(click on any picture to enlarge)

Sparta Chamber of Commerce, trail head to the La Crosse River State Trail in Sparta, Wisconsin. It is located on Water St, south of downtown at the railroad tracks.

Bacchetta Giro 26 in front of the trail head.

Just west of Sparta, you see completely flat terrain, the straight trail, I 90, and farmland, as far as the eye can see.

New bridge over the Little La Crosse River. At this particular point, a couple miles west of Sparta, the trail becomes tree covered.

A Canadian Pacific train roars by.

The leaves were just starting to turn color as I headed into Rockland.

Small bridge over small creek, just west of Rockland.

On this particular day during the last week of Summer, it was cold and rainy most of the day. I was only able to get out for a little while late in the day, so unfortunately I was unable to complete the full trail. That will have be completed at a later time.