Wisconsin lies in the coastline of the Midwestern part of the US, with its largest city being Milwaukee. Wisconsin boasts of many tourist features ranging from the most popular Milwaukee Public Museum to the Harley-Davidson Museum.
The terrain of Wisconsin makes it a popular destination for vacations and recreational activities. Other sight-seeing places within this state are the 2 Great Lakes, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior. The Wisconsin landscape provides great biking avenues for bikers who want to enjoy several biking ascents and descents across this state’s vast land and forest interiors.
Below are the best 10 mountain biking trails in Wisconsin that both newbie and expert bikers can use for a great biking experience.
1. Lowes Creek Biking Trail
Lowest Creek Mountain Biking Trail is first on our list because it is a very challenging biking trail, which winds through flora and creek beds. Bikers can access both sides of the trout stream of the Lowes Creek trail since it is brought together by a bridge. Lowes Creek uses both single and double track trail systems, with a single track covering about 13 miles, while the double track covers about 6 miles.
Because of the riding difficulties that most bikers may pass through, there are signages at the trailheads and several other intersections along the trail paths. You will indeed be challenged because this biking trail offers several twists, quick climbs, and fast flow-through rides. Be ready to enjoy the view of the woody pine forests and creek-bed crossings. The winter season is mostly open for bikers and snowshoers who like the challenges that such weather condition poses.
However, you should know that there are other users of this trail and be ready to meet walkers and runners who will keep you company. You are recommended to use helmets, and you should stay off the groomed ski trails.
2. Levis Mound Mountain Biking Trail
The Levis Mound Mountain Biking Trail is one of the highest trails on our list, with about a 200-foot climb to the very top ascent where you can get a view of the surrounding landscape. Bikers like this trail because of the vivid scenery and challenging pedal-up climb. This single-track trail system comprises over 25 miles of pathways leading to diverse rock gardens, flora paths, and sandy ways, which offers the thrilling moment that most bikers want.
Levis Mound Trail is one of the IMBA epic ride trails and boasts of being one of Wisconsin’s most excellent biking trails. There are several marks on this trail to guide you as you journey through its challenging terrain. Bikers can choose from the different trail paths of the Levis Mound Trail, and most of these trails offer steep climbs, surprise switchbacks, and speedy descents.
Be ready to enjoy the fantastic sights of the nearby landscape as you journey through the trail. Some of the courses you will love here are the Pile Driver, Select Cut, and Turkey Dead. Get ready for some fantastic experience.
3. Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) Trail System
The CAMBA Trail System is recognized by the IMBA and given an international status as a “Ride Center.” This trail system is known to be one of the best biking destinations for expert bikers, offering different levels of challenges. Newbie bikers can also use the several trail paths of the CAMBA Trail System to improve their biking skills.
One of the trails in the CAMBA Trail System, the Rock Lake Trail, is given the status of “Epic Ride” by the IMBA and is an excellent favorite for most local bikers in Wisconsin. The trail has over 300 miles of trail paths within a 28 trail system signed and mapped so that you can enjoy the go-ahead ride. Within these trails is the Namekagon Trail which most bikers use to have a beautiful view of the fantastic forest flora.
One of the great features of this trail includes views of the several tamarack trees, streams, and bogs, which are contained in the Lynch Creek Overlook. You will also get to enjoy more than 100 miles of road and mountain bike trails of the Cable/Hayward part within Bayfield and Sawyer Counties. You can always have a good after-ride experience by resorting to any of the trails restaurants.
4. Nicolet Roche Mountain Biking Trail
The northeastern part of Wisconsin comprises a vast land of forest, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest; within this terrain lays the Nicolet Roche Trail floored with rugged giant boulders and challenging ascents and descents. You will get to enjoy the abrupt drop off through the woody land terrain and steep climb up its rocky ascents.
Most bikers like to swim in the National Forest Service Boulder Lake Campground after biking. Meander your way through the several high-rising boulders and rock gardens by quickly pedaling through this single-track trail system. You will ride through the grounds of prairies and coniferous forests into some deep woody lands. You will pass through trails like the Cinderella, Big Daddy, and Drama Queen while making your way past a primitive campsite nearing the Oconto River.
The Scout part of the trail allows you to make your way through a moderate rocky path and back into the woody forest, where you will need more pedaling strength to pass the heavy and woody ridgeline. Soon, you will be rewarded by fast and flowy descent of the Gravity Cavity and Bee Sting Hill, which will eventually lead you to the trailhead after a quick and short ascent. Bikers who like Remote Mountain biking indeed find this trail incredible.
5. Blue Mound State Park Mountain Biking Trail
The Blue Mound State Park Trail boasts of having the highest elevation point around southern Wisconsin, which is more than 1700 feet. It uses a single-track trail system with over 15 miles of difficult pedaling suitable for expert bikers. Bikers usually experience rocky climbs and ride through root-lands that keep the thrills of the moment. Beginner riders can use the bailout option within this trail if they do not wish to continue its challenges.
Although only bikers with the required experience should use this trail, newbie bikers may try out the first few miles of the beginning trail. You can also try out the other easy and intermediate parts of the trail. If you are an expert biker, be ready to ride through logs and rocks, uneasy drop-down jumps, and energy-consuming pedaling. You can save your strength along the way by taking a moment to look at the surrounding countryside from the highest point of elevation of this trail.
6. Lake Geneva Canopy Tours Loop
The Lake Geneva Canopy Tours Loop spans more than 12 miles in length and has a picturesque view of flowers and an incredible feeling of fresh breath resulting from the nearby Lake Geneva. The different sections of this trail provide adequate biking features for all levels of bikers. This trail is perfect for beginner bikers and offers adequate training ground to help improve their wooded terrain skills. Expert riders can also unleash their exploring capability by riding through several challenging paths, surprise switchbacks, and scary ladder bridges, which gives the expected exciting riding time.
Bikers can make use of the high visibility makers for proper guidance along their journey. Ensure also to prepare to do steep climbs upon short ascents, and sudden turns into sharp steep descents. One of the best features that most riders love is the abrupt fabulous steep thump that rises over 8 inches along the way, providing a way for both expert and beginner riders to up their game.
7. John Muir and Emma Carlin Trails
The John Muir and Emma Carlin Trails lie within the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest and are linked by the southbound and northbound connector. Riders can use either the Emma Carlin Trailhead or John Muir Trailhead as the ending or starting point. The extensive biking-land uses mostly single-track trail systems with many rocky technical parts. There are different loops within this trail system which may vary from a 4-mile ride to more than 27 miles.
Its ascents are very sharp and steep, while the descents are a fast-flow ride downhill. Prepare to pedal through sandy paths, meadows, and thick forest trees while enjoying the view of pine stands. You can quickly get to the connector trail if you use the northern corner’s offshoot. Prepare for a wild ride across the forest because this connector will bring out the wildness in you as you pedal far from the boisterous town civilization.
Both newbie and professional riders can use this connector and enjoy their journey to and fro the two trailheads. Also, bikers who like geological expeditions can take a few minutes of their time to observe the glacial features of geology deep within this evergreen hardwood and scenic prairie.
8. Nine Mile Forest Mountain Biking Trail
The Nine Mile Forest Mountain Biking Trail offers a great riding experience for all levels of bikers, whether new, intermediate, or professional. It is a riding trail that serves as the center of riding for most locals in Wisconsin. It features a progressive mild to harsh riding path, which tests for bikers’ skill level. You will experience challenges like piles of logs and low berms along the trail. You will also have enough pedaling up the trail’s 140-foot high-rising ridge. The trail uses a single-track system with its central point of connection at the trailhead close to the Pines or Jim’s Trail.
Riders can pedal on all the three loops of this trail which include the East Loops, West Loops, and South Loops. The East Loop is a nice flow-through loop but can be rough and rooty in some portions. The West Loop enhances its flow-through by its berms features, while the South Loop can be more challenging owing to its rocky and rooty nature. However, riders should know that because the Nine Mile is a County forest, there are often hunting and logging operations, especially during the early and late seasons, affecting biking activities.
9. WinMan Mountain Biking Trails
The WinMan Mountain Biking Trails is a fascinating trail that winds through several hardwood forests and pines and descending into downhill berms and bridges in a fast and flowy path. This trail is situated in North Lakeland Discovery Center’s 1,300 acres land facility in Vilas County. It is loved by both locals and visitors because of the exciting and thrilling riding features.
This biking trail uses a single-track trail system, and there are signs and maps to guide bikers at its various intersections. Besides, this trail is used for other recreational activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing. Beginners and expert bikers can enjoy the rolling hills feature of this trail by riding up and down its wood-laid ascents and descents.
10. Silver Lake Park Biking Trail
The Silver Lake Park biking trail has some of Wisconsin’s new trails flowing over ten miles in length on a 274-acre terrain. Bikers access this trail from the Kenosha County Park, and it offers a great adventure for both starter and expert bikers. You may come across stony grounds and grass-covered trail paths on this hilly terrain, while some tracks on the trails are marked for guidance.
The Silver Lake Park Biking Trail’s single-track system is used by other vacationers who like the trail’s many sight-seeing rewards. Bikers can experience the best of nature’s traversing landscape and take a minute to view the glamour of Silver Lake itself. If you like to swim, you can take time out on this swimming beach after your biking experience. Silver Lake’s swimming beach is at the western part of the trail.
This trail is constructed and managed by the joint venture of the Kenosha Area Mountain Bike Association (KEMBA). It offers new and expert riders a good fat biking experience during the winter. Bikers are encouraged to adhere to the rules and regulations guiding their biking activities.
Bikers are provided with maps showing the entire trail path. Green marks on the mark represent areas of vegetation like grasses and woods. In contrast, yellow represents the trail paths, and red represents some challenging areas of the trail where bikers will need to be careful. The orange-dashed mark represents the trail’s connector. In contrast, purple represents the newer portion of the trail. This map guides bikers across the Silver Lake’s various loops as they ride through Outbound, Ticonderoga, and Snowflakes to Rudie’s Run, passing through Yeti.
Conclusion
Biking in Wisconsin terrain is undoubtedly an excellent experience for expert and beginner bikers because this state provides one of the vastest recreational facilities for most vacationers. Most bikers love to have a tremendous after-biking recreation and love the exciting outing places that most of the mountain biking trails in Wisconsin offer. If you like the view of the expansive area of woody vegetation running through sharp and steep ascents and descents, then Wisconsin may be the point of call for your next biking experience.
