Biking Wisconsin: The Elroy Sparta Rail Trail -- The Country's First Rail Trail!

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  • Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
  • This trail is a must-visit destination for anyone looking for a unique and historic outdoor adventure. This spectacular trail links five communities through the unglaciated area of Wisconsin known as the Driftless Region. From the tunnels and bridges to the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside, there's something for everyone on this trail. In 1965, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail became the first of its kind. It is considered the first rail-to-trail in the world. Since the mid-1980s around 60,000 users have been on the Elroy-Sparta each year! The railway-turned-multi-use trail provides 32 miles of hiking, biking or snowmobiling adventure through forest, prairie, idyllic towns and even tunnels carved through rock. This ride took place on August 20, 2023.
    👉 Bike Shuttles: tourism.bikesp...
    NOTE: A State Trail Pass ($25 annually/$5 daily) is required for bicyclists ages 16 and older.
    🔔 Subscribe for more bike trail videos: / @adventuresonebikes
    ✅ Check out the Rails to Trails Conservancy and its fantastic app TrailLink to get more trail info and exact directions to trailheads and parking: www.traillink....
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    #electricbike #ebike #Biketrails #Bikeriding #bicycletrails #railtrail

КОМЕНТАРІ • 36

  • @reneeleegreco1603
    @reneeleegreco1603 4 дні тому

    wow this is an incredible video!!!! Thank you. On my list to ride as I'm in illinois near ohare

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  4 дні тому

      Thank you so much for your kind words. We hope you get to ride this trail soon. The tunnels are worth the trip!! We appreciate your support.

  • @patriciawilson5950
    @patriciawilson5950 2 місяці тому +1

    My husband and me rode the whole 123 mile trail. The best part is the great river trail going up the Mississippi river. We rode many trails including across Pennsylvania, but this trail was always my favorite. Now cancer took my husband, I would love to do it again on my ebike. You should definitely ride the great river trail!

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  2 місяці тому

      Sorry to hear about your husband. Hopefully, you can get back out on the trails. We appreciate the additional info and will definitely put the Great River Trail on our wish list. Thanks for watching.

  • @Putt-Putt-Vroom
    @Putt-Putt-Vroom 9 місяців тому +2

    Love the channel and thank you for sharing your journey! So cool to see the fog coming out of tunnel 1 nice and creepy

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  9 місяців тому

      I agree - the fog at the mouth of the tunnel was really something. Thanks for your kind words, and thanks for watching. “See” you on our next adventure.

  • @jongolsteyn9680
    @jongolsteyn9680 9 місяців тому +2

    Great video. I did this trail in 2018. It was cool and has a lot of history. Good to see you made it to Wisconsin. If you want to do the best trails in Wisconsin, you need to travel north to the Heart of Vilas County Trail System in Mercer, Manitowish Waters, Boulder Junction, Sayner, and St Germaine. 52 miles of trails going through the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest. It is so beautiful there. My favorite trails are the Manitowish Waters Bike Trail and the Crystal Lake Bike Trail. Keep biking, I enjoy your video's.

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  9 місяців тому +1

      Just looked up the trails you recommended -WOW! There are a lot of trails in Northern WI. We could park up there for a month and only scratch the surface. I will definitely put your recommendations on our list. Thanks for the info and thanks for watching.

    • @jongolsteyn9680
      @jongolsteyn9680 9 місяців тому

      @@Adventuresonebikes There are some great videos of the Manitowish Waters bike trail on You Tube. It really shows the beauty of the trail. Look up Todd Bradshaw, he has a few great videos of him and his wife on recumbent bikes.

    • @mikesmith3375
      @mikesmith3375 5 місяців тому

      Someone needs to tell Google Maps about these trails!@@jongolsteyn9680

  • @SINTHEREBEL666
    @SINTHEREBEL666 9 місяців тому +1

    Much appreciated 👍👍👍

  • @garyseckel295
    @garyseckel295 9 місяців тому

    Very interesting first trail AND, great scenery!
    Thanks for taking us with you!

  • @DaveCollierCamping
    @DaveCollierCamping 9 місяців тому +1

    Awesome video

  • @verlinrice9955
    @verlinrice9955 9 місяців тому

    Thanks for your excellent video of this classic trail. My wife and I completed this ride many years ago with another couple. We didn't have lights, but fortunately our friends were prepared for the darkness. We also experienced the dread of the ultimate darkness😢. Again, thanks😅😊

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  9 місяців тому

      I don't think my extra light was even bright enough! Those tunnels were really dark. Thanks for watching. We hope to "see" you again on our next adventure.

  • @debbiesmith1531
    @debbiesmith1531 6 місяців тому

    Thanks for the details. My husband and I are considering doing this trail on our vacation this coming June and I enjoyed seeing this video

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  6 місяців тому

      Glad it was helpful. Fun fact: the three tunnels are all part of the 15 longest rail trail tunnels in the US!! Thanks for watching, and taking a minute to comment.

  • @trainshedhobbies
    @trainshedhobbies 9 місяців тому

    Hey Deb and Randy, another great ride! I proudly wear my Adventures on ebikes tee shirt when my wife and I get on the trails. Have you ridden the carriage trails in Acadia National Park, Maine? They are magnificent. I've been riding them for 25 years and I never get tired of them (except for switching to ebiking 2 years ago). I know they are not rail trails but I know you would love them!

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  9 місяців тому

      Thanks for proudly showing your support when you ride!!! We rode the carriage trails in 2016 (before we had a channel). Had the best lobster ever at the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound. Didn't have ebikes and we did get lost and ended up on trails on private land. It was a tough ride back --uphill!! We loved the trip. We just made reservations to spend 3 nights in Acadia in June, 2024. We can't wait! Thanks for watching.

    • @trainshedhobbies
      @trainshedhobbies 9 місяців тому

      It becomes different ride on ebikes. I used to use a map on the rides, now I just get out there and ride all day, not worried about where I am. I will be there at the end of June. We are going to bike in Hilo Hawaii in early June. Thanks for making your fun and inspiring videos.

  • @hjp2467
    @hjp2467 4 місяці тому

    Thanks, Ì miss that Sparta Elroy State Bike trail
    Our group of five that hiked the track before we had the County drop limestone on the cinders. Last year Don PAGEL died, which leaves only me as one of the developers. The history of the trail is in Sparta Museum, 2nd floor. Send your email address for further information. It was Sparta-Elroy because 4 of us all lived in Sparta. Pictures of our family have been seen on the Norwalk tunnel. That picture was sent to most states in the 60's to their travel or transportation depth. PASTOR HAROLD PETERSON Sun City, Az.

  • @pedrofernandez8729
    @pedrofernandez8729 9 місяців тому

    They make you walk the bikes thru the tunnels? Where is the fun in that?

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  9 місяців тому

      Well...... they don't make us walk as there isn't anyone monitoring. But if you don't have extra strong light you may not want to be riding. Thanks for watching.

    • @pedrofernandez8729
      @pedrofernandez8729 9 місяців тому

      @@Adventuresonebikes The tunnels at Hiawatha are longer and more treacherous, no mention of walking your bikes there.

  • @davidwollmer8694
    @davidwollmer8694 8 місяців тому

    Is there a shuttle service around the area that could take us back to Elroy if we did the whole trail one way?

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  8 місяців тому +1

      There are people who will drive with you (in your car) and take your car to whichever end you prefer. You can find the list of shuttle options here: Bike Shuttles: tourism.bikesparta.com/list/c...
      NOTE: A State Trail Pass ($25 annually/$5 daily) is required for bicyclists ages 16 and older.

    • @davidwollmer8694
      @davidwollmer8694 8 місяців тому

      Thankyou but that link doesn’t work

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  8 місяців тому

      tourism.bikesparta.com/list/category/things-to-do-bike-trail-338. Odd, because the link I sent you was right in the description section of the original video. I’ve copied and pasted here. I can’t test it until I actually send the message :(.

  • @philfenker4833
    @philfenker4833 4 місяці тому

    Do you know of someone who we could hire to get our suv to Sparta?

    • @Adventuresonebikes
      @Adventuresonebikes  4 місяці тому

      Hi. There is a link in the description below the video of how you might be able to hire someone (like we did) to drop you off wherever you want to start and take your vehicle to where you want to end.

  • @robertpolka630
    @robertpolka630 10 днів тому

    electric bikes