Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail
Passing Through Tunnel Number 3

Here's a better view of the light reflecting off of the tunnel walls as you approach the light at the end of the tunnel (in tunnel #3).

Outside (uphill) of Tunnel #3. This is looking back (in this case) at the east entrance to the tunnel. I rode this trail on a very hot summer day and one of the real obvious things that you notice is the temperature difference when you come out of the tunnel. It's actually hard to describe the drastic change that you go through when going in and out of these tunnels (especially this one).

There is a little rest area and water pump just past tunnel #3. Tunnel #3 is about 8 miles out of Sparta so even if you are not able to do the entire Elroy-Sparta trail in one day, you can still start out in Sparta, experience the longest tunnel on the trail and ride back for a nice 16 mile ride.

I actually did the Elroy Sparta Trail (for these photos) in 2 days. It's not that I could not have done it in one day (the trail is 32 miles so it would be a 64 mile trip both ways) but I got a late start on my first day and you always have to keep track of how much daylight you have left so you don't end up out on the trail at night. In my case I used up too much of the daylight hours to be able to do the entire ride in one day.

There are a couple of benches here (in the shade at this particular time of day) if you need to take a little break or maybe stop for a snack (while refilling your water bottle(s) (if necessary).

The water pump... Always a welcome site on a hot ride.

The photo above is the Tri-Creek watershed project which was built for flood prevention in 1975. You only get a glimpse of the lake below from the trail and as you can see in this photo it is fenced off here.