Friends of MRST

Recreation Trail Passes - Trail Uses - Communities - Map

Bicyclists 16 years old and older must have an annual or daily trail pass. Passes are available at Governor Dodge and Blue Mound State Parks and other Department of Natural Resources offices, as well as various outlets in local communities. The pass is valid on all state trails.

**Trail Distances in Miles**
From	To	Distance
Dodgeville	Ridgeway	9.7
Ridgeway	Barneveld	5.4
Barneveld	Blue Mounds	4.0
Blue Mounds	Mount Horeb	5.3
Mount Horeb	Riley	3.6
Riley	Klevenville	2.5
Klevenville	Verona	6.0

Trail Uses (back to top)

The trail is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Uses include hiking, bicycling, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and wheelchair use. Motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or other motor vehicles, and horseback riding are not allowed because they might damage the trail surface and conflict with other trail users. Hunting is not allowed within the trail corridor.

Bicycle Safety
Wear bright clothing by day, white or reflective clothing by night. Wear shoes, pant-leg clips, and a protective helmet.
Use a light and reflectors at night.
Have your bike, especially the brakes, in safe condition.
Ride with only one person on the bike unless it is designed and equipped for more.
Carry packages only in bicycle baskets or packs.
Pull another vehicle with your bike only if it’s designed for that purpose.
Slow down and use voice or bell to warn others as you pass.
Be considerate of bikers coming your way, especially on hills.
Keep right and allow room for oncoming traffic to pass.
Keep at least two bike lengths between riders.
Avoid trick or stunt riding.
Stop and look all ways at crossings.
Use both hand brakes.
Don’t block traffic on bridges.
When riding on roads, obey all traffic laws.
Other Tips
Stay on the marked trail.
Any pet must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet.
Don’t feed wild animals.
If you see a wild animal that seems tame, leave it alone. It may be ill, even rabid, and may bite. Report too-friendly animals or aggressive animals to trail or park personnel.
Never eat berries or plant parts unless you are sure what they are.
Avoid touching poison ivy. Recognize it by its three leaflets and by white berries which develop in late summer. The leaves turn a beautiful orange-red in autumn, but are poisonous.
Put litter in its place. Carry out what you carry in.
Leave wild flowers to be enjoyed in their natural setting. Take only pictures; leave only footprints.

Communities (back to top) Madison - Verona - Riley - Klevenville - Mount Horeb - Blue Mounds - Barneveld - Ridgeway - Dodgeville

Madison http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/

The City of Madison has 100 miles of marked bicycle routes linking the University of Wisconsin, state capitol, University of Wisconsin Arboretum, Vilas Park Zoo, hospitals, and other points of interest. Parks along Lakes Mendota, Monona, and Wingra, offer swimming, boating, and fishing. A 12-mile Lake Monona bike path runs alongside the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center downtown. The Center has a bicycle elevator that transports cyclists from the lakeside bike path up a 60 feet bluff to Olin Terrace and the Capitol Square area. Daily tours are available at Monona Terrace. The Madison Art Center, Elvehjem Museum of Art, State Historical Society Museum, University of Wisconsin Geology Museum, and Madison Children’s Museum are in the city. Live entertainment is offered at the Madison Civic Center, Dane County Exposition Center, Kohl Center, and many smaller theaters and clubs. A Farmer’s Market is held on the Capitol Square every Wednesday and Saturday from late April through October.

Verona http://www.ci.verona.wi.us/

East End of Trail
At Highways Business 18/151 and PB is a 100-car parking lot. A spring-fed pond is also on the site.

The City of Verona has developed a park along the trail at the eastern edge of the city. In addition to the Eagles Nest Ice Arena that hosts hockey, the park has softball, baseball, soccer fields, concessions, and parking for cars and bikes.

Badger Prairie County Park is .7 miles north on Highway M and then .5 miles east on Cross Country Road. The park has a picnic area, shelter, playground areas, and softball fields. It consists of 300 acres with areas for group camping, mountain bike trails, cross-country skiing, and ice skating.

Fireman’s Park, about a mile south of the trail on Highway 69, has a sand quarry swimming beach and Reddan Soccer Complex.

Riley

The Riley Tavern can be found just off of the trail along with a bike station for purchasing trial passes. The only remaining business today is the tavern, in the building that once was a general store and post office. The tavern features Sunday morning pancake breakfasts. Bluegrass music jams are held on the first Saturday afternoon of the month.

Klevenville
A prairie remnant extends for about 60 yards on both sides of the trail just east of Klevenville. It ranges from wet prairie to sedge meadow on the north. Look for these plants:
·Prairie smoke, with purplish-red to pink flowers in late April to May. Long feathery hairs on its seed heads give a “puff of smoke” look. Its stems are low, soft, and hairy, and it has many deep-cut leaves.
·Prairie dropseed grass, two to three feet tall. It stands very erect and has very long, narrow blades.
·Smooth white lettuce, with pinkish flowers on a spike, clasping elongated leaves, and yellow bristles.

Killdeer, flickers, red-tailed hawks, and bobolinks are among birds seen in the area.

Mount Horeb http://www.mounthorebwi.info/

The trail has a rest area and parking lot between First and Second Streets. The railroad depot was west on First Street.

Stewart County Park is about .5 miles north of the trail on Highway JG. It has 105 acres, including the seven acres spring-fed Stewart Lake, picnicking, two shelters, pavilion, group camping, trout fishing, a hiking trail, and a playground.

Dane County’s Prairie Heritage Trail begins about .4 miles south of the Military Ridge Trail on Highway JG. It follows Highway JG eight miles, along an open ridge and then through a small river valley to a second ridge and a 1 1/3 acre restored prairie planted by the Dane County Highway Department.

Blue Mounds http://www.myclustersite.com/mybluemounds/

Blue Mounds has a community park on the west edge of the village, along with Blue Mounds State Park and Brigham County Park. Bike passes and park passes can be purchased at the entrance of Blue Mounds State Park.

At Blue Mounds, the Military Ridge Trail crosses the Wisconsin Bikeway, which links LaCrosse and Mukwonago. The Bikeway follows County F to the north and County Z to the south.

Barneveld

Birch Lake Park, maintained by the village on state-owned land, is northwest of the village on County T. It has picnicking, camping, boating, and fishing for bluegills, largemouth bass, and black bullheads. A state fish and wildlife refuge is along Trout Creek, Iowa County’s best trout stream, about 3.5 miles northwest of the trail on County T. Brown trout reproduce naturally here

Ridgeway

Ridgeway offers those using the trail public restrooms, and water fountains at the city park. Because Highway 18/151 took the railroad right-of-way west of Ridgeway, the trail was built along its north side. It has more hills and curves than the railroad grade. Bike carefully.

Nearby attractions include the only surviving depot along the trail and Folklore Village (located on county road BB)

Dodgeville www.dodgeville.com/

The Military Ridge Trail ends and begins at Highway 23 north of Dodgeville. There is a 40-car parking lot about .2 miles east of 23 on County YZ, where the Department of Natural Resources owns five acres of land.

Trail passes can be purchased in Dodgeville at Mr. T's Easy Stop / Mobile Gas Station, State Highway 23.

Map (back to top)

DNR Trail Map

Mapping provided by Department of Natural Resources (DNR Map PDF )

Google Mapping

- Photographs by: Doug Wollin -