Braving the Elroy-Sparta Trail

By John Soper

When I was planning my day trip to the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, arguably one of Wisconsin’s greatest bike paths, I had envisioned a luxurious and tranquil ride through nature. But Evan, Bernice and God had other plans. Also known as “the three tunnel trail,” the Elroy-Sparta State Trail is the nation’s first rail-to-trail bike path. Spanning 32.5 miles from Sparta to Elroy in western Wisconsin, the trail offers a smooth, low-grade path made from crushed limestone that is manageable for cyclists of all levels — except me. 

The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad

In 1873, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company finished their railroad bed between Winona Junction and Elroy-Sparta. This railway was built to give a direct line from southern Minnesota to the Dakotas and Iowa to Chicago. Three tunnels were built throughout the railroad — two about .25 miles long and the third .75 miles long. The line was used for both passenger and cargo trains year round. In 1953, passenger service had stopped, and by 1964, operation had ceased indefinitely.

The next year, the track was removed, and the Wisconsin Conservation Commission was granted approval for the Elroy-Sparta project. Today, the trail looks nothing like a railway, but has still retained some notable features. Although the track was removed, the tunnels and massive wooden doors were kept and crushed limestone was added to give a smooth surface for cyclist and hikers. The trail connects with the La Crosse River State Trail at Sparta and the “400” State Trail in Elroy.

Arriving in Kendall

Evan, my cameraman, and I arrived at the trail headquarters in Kendall at around 3 p.m. We were scheduled to arrive a half hour sooner, but my GPS, Bernice, decided to have a little fun. After yelling a couple of choice words at Bernice and threatening to throw her out the window, Evan took her from my hands before I could and we arrived at the trail headquarters depot in Kendall.

First we decided to tour the railroad history museum, located in the old train depot. Expecting to encounter a huge steam engine when I entered, I was a bit disappointed when I saw only two display cases. They contained numerous artifacts from the railway including china from the travel cars, spikes, lanterns and a conductor’s hat. After purchasing our trail passes from a teenage boy who seemed more interested in his magazine than my various questions about the history of the trail, we headed out to my all-terrain minivan.

Getting ready for the trail

Having scoured the maps and filled our heads with random train lore, Evan and I started our ride. We grabbed our bikes out of the back of the van and prepared ourselves for the journey ahead. After pulling out the bikes, Evan handed me a helmet.

“I don’t do helmets,” I replied as I brushed my perfectly gelled faux hawk. “It will give me helmet hair.”  This wasn’t a response that Evan was about to accept. Against my will and after an intense, short scuffle, the helmet was forced on top of my head.

“Safety first,” Evan reminded me as I contemplated my revenge.

While adjusting my helmet straps to loosen the death grip on my chin, I spotted a young couple pulling up to the depot on their bikes. They looked like bike trail veterans, so, as a novice, I decided to get some advice from them before we took off. Kate and John, or as I called them, “Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong,” had started their biking expedition in Glacier National Park and moved down to the Elroy-Sparta bike trail on their way to the “400” State Trail. It was their third day on the trail, and they had fallen in love with it.

“The grade is awesome — it’s only 3 percent grade,” Kate said, referencing the trail’s flat surface. “Everywhere else we’ve had has just been tons of hills.” John also mentioned the third tunnel had been his favorite part of their entire trip so far. Deciding it was time to start our own journey, Evan and I thanked the Armstrongs, climbed on our bikes and headed out.

On the trail

It was a perfect autumn day for a bike ride. The weather was still warm and the sun was shining through the changing leaves, leading our way through the many twists and turns of the trail. The path is smooth and surrounded by trees and rock formations. It seemed like this was going to be an enjoyable ride, but obviously a higher power had something else in mind. Five minutes into the ride, I had almost forgotten about my assignments and other worries when something odd happened.

All of a sudden, the trail seemed rough and proved more difficult than I had expected. Two minutes later, I realized that it wasn’t the trail, but my flat front tire.

Evan suggested we turn around so I didn’t ruin the frame, but I insisted that we press on. I did not just endure Bernice for hours and ruin my hair to turn around within 10 minutes of starting. My bike limped onward as we continued to pass through small valleys and scenic overlooks. While riding along the trail, we saw many different people of all ages and backgrounds. Some riders sped past in tight spandex biker shorts, while others casually biked by and waved. We even passed a family of four going on a Friday afternoon bike ride, the daughter wearing an expression of utmost boredom. After what seemed an eternity, we reached the entrance of the first tunnel.

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