What does Madison, Wisconsin, have in widespread with Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Montreal? They’re amongst the “Greatest Locations on Earth to Bike,” based on Yahoo Journey. With temperate summer season climate, over 200 miles of motorcycle paths, 5 lakes, and probably the most parks per capita within the US, it’s simple to see why Madison obtained a Platinum designation by the League of American Bicyclists and ranks as one of many 5 finest US cities for biking.
We labored with native officers and bike activists to construct our information to biking in Madison, Wisconsin, and have personally ridden the vast majority of the paths and routes highlighted on this article. Whether or not you’re an area trying to discover new locations to trip or a trip bike owner searching for a vacation spot with world-class meals and distinctive experiences, this information is for you!
Madison By Bike
Madison By Bike is a Vacation spot Madison initiative to get individuals out using and exploring the town. They’ve created 4 characteristic rides (with 4 distinctive vibes) that showcase the perfect of Madison. An app-like web page allows you to accumulate unique reductions and earn prizes as you journey their curated routes.
We made a degree to trip each route and make all of the check-ins, and it was a great deal of enjoyable. The reductions on the taking part eating places have been legit, and we noticed issues we by no means would have observed with out the check-in sport (you’ll be able to even use your collected factors to donate to Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison or enter to win an e-bike for your self!). When you’re new to city, you need to test it out, and we wager even a veteran rider might study a factor or two from Madison By Bike.
Capital Metropolis Path (4.8 miles One-Method)
The Capital Metropolis Path is principally the Cap Metropolis Path from Turville Bay to Starkweather Brewing Firm – aka Lakeshore Views to Brews. Take into account parking at Olin Park and staying on the Cap Metropolis Path to Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Southwest Commuter Path (3 miles One-Method)
The Southwest Commuter Path follows a path by the identical title. The bodily path is on an previous railbed designed to be remoted from the neighborhood with a collection of underpasses.
Lakeshore Path (2 miles One-Method)
The Lakeshore Path route follows the Howard Temin Lakeshore Path from the Memorial Union Terrace to Picnic Level via the College of Wisconsin campus. This route is simply partially paved with a hard-pack floor appropriate for many bikes, but it surely might get muddy in inclement climate. You’ll be able to’t bike to Picnic Level, however there’s a motorbike rack and BCycle station proper out entrance. Additionally, you would possibly take into account using an inside route again on bike lanes of Observatory Drive to kind a loop and test in at Allen Centennial Backyard and the effigy mounds.
Fitchburg – Cannonball Loop (10.1 miles – Loop)
The Fitchburg-Cannonball Loop is likely to be probably the most full trip of the Madison By Bike portfolio. You entry by way of Fitchburg, a near-city path city on the Capital Metropolis Path, and kind a loop by way of the Cannonball Path Path and McCaffy/Arboretum Drive. Loop rides have a sure je ne sais quoi in comparison with out-and-backs, particularly when the neighborhood connecting roads are sluggish and mellow.
Loop Rides in Madison
Native Individuals known as Madison Teejop which is how the Hoocąk individuals check with the land. Its translated which means is, “land of the 4 lakes” (Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa). Madison’s metropolis heart is constructed on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. All this water supplies stunning views and motivates metropolis planners to scale back automobile site visitors and parking strain. It additionally permits bike paths to naturally kind bike loops as a substitute of the hub and spoke design that develops in most river-based cities.
Monona Bay Loop (7.2 mi)
The Monona Bay Loop is a brief trip that connects the MBB Southwest Commuter Path with the Capital Metropolis Path. There’s a pure connection on the north finish via Brittingham Park and a virtually full connection on the south finish by way of the gorgeous Wingara Creek Path. The neighborhood hole is thru the Monroe Road district, which may be very bike-friendly.
Lake Wingra Loop (11.1 mi)
Everyone talks concerning the Monona Lake Loop, however there’s a Lake Wingra Loop, too. Very similar to its extra well-known cousin, there’s some debate about maximizing your time on a path versus staying as shut as potential to the lake. There’s a great argument for going throughout the arboretum and discovering a neighborhood connection on the west facet. Nevertheless, we tossed a coin and mapped our trip via the Cannonball Path to the junction at Velo UnderRound.
Lake Monona Bike Loop (12.4 miles)
The Lake Monona Bike Loop is a basic Madison bike trip. It follows the Capital Metropolis Path on the west facet of the lake and a signed on-road route via the town of Monona. For some purpose, there may be nonetheless debate about “the route.” There are three decisions via Atwood – the “official” signed route alongside the lake, Atwood Ave (meh), or staying on Capital Metropolis Trial to Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Capital Metropolis Loop (19.4 miles)
The Capital Metropolis Loop is fashioned by connecting the southern half of the Capital Metropolis Path with the Cannonball Path and Southwest Commuter Path. A wonderful loop closure via Brittingham Park would make this trip fully on-trail. Nevertheless, we selected to route via some on-road connectors to showcase a approach to hyperlink the college to downtown and the Southwest Commuter Path.
Decrease Yahara River Path (9 bonus miles)
Out of doors Journal decided that the proper bike trip is 20 miles, which implies that the Lake Monona Bicycle Loop is just a bit too brief. Maybe that’s why many riders tack on an additional 9 miles by using the Decrease Yahara River Path for a pit cease on the Inexperienced Lantern Restaurant. In fact, the gorgeous mile lengthy boardwalk alongside Lake Waubesa isn’t unhealthy both.
Featured Madison Bike Paths
With so many Madison bike paths, realizing the place to begin using may be troublesome. The Metropolis of Madison’s Bike Madison web page has quite a lot of data, maybe an excessive amount of. We’ll break it down for you. Right here’s the thin.
Glacial Drumlin State Path (52.8 miles, unpaved)
The Glacial Drumlin State Path runs between Wisconsin’s two largest city areas, Madison and Milwaukee. It follows an deserted rail hall for 52 miles via farmlands and glacial topography and connects ten small cities from Cottage Grove to Waukesha. It has a crushed stone floor appropriate for 32mm tires or wider, apart from a brief, 1.5-mile, on-road part northeast of Jefferson.
There’s a direct connection on the east finish of the path into the Milwaukee bike system, however there’s a niche between Cottage Grove and the Madison bike system on the Cottage Grove terminus. A well-liked Madison bike trip is to begin at Cottage Grove and bike 16 miles to Sandy Seaside and again (32-mile spherical journey).
Sugar River State Path (22 miles, crushed stone)
The Sugar River State Path is a 24-mile crushed gravel path following an deserted railroad line from New Glarus to Brodhead. The path has 14 trestle bridges because it crosses the Sugar River and its tributaries.
The Sugar River Path is roughly 20 miles south of Madison on the Badger Path, in order that’s a beefy trip for informal cyclists. Many individuals shuttle their bikes down for an out-and-back on the Sugar River Path or make the most of the Badger Path to kind an 11-mile loop from New Glarus.
Badger State Path (40 miles, 6 miles paved)
The Badger State Path stretches 40 miles from Madison and the Wisconsin-Illinois border, the place it turns into the 17-mile Jane Addams Path. That’s 57 miles, probably extra if you happen to enterprise onto the Sugar River State Path. The path is paved for the primary 6 miles till you attain Purcell Rd. From there, it’s a crushed gravel path. Additionally, as of 2023, the path is closed on the Steward Tunnel, with a state-provided Tunnel Street detour proven.
A superb Badger State Path trip is an out-and-back to New Glarus Brewing Firm. Make sure to cease in for a tour and maybe a pint of their only-sold-in-Wisconsin Noticed Cow Ale. That’s a 43-mile out-and-back from the Velo UnderRound.
Navy Ridge State Path (42.1 miles, 3.6 miles paved)
Navy Ridge State Path travels from Madison to Dodgeville by way of an 1855 army route, together with stops at Governor Dodge and Blue Mound state parks. The path is paved for the primary 3.6 miles till the Badger Prairie Group Backyard in Verona. From there, it’s a crushed stone path appropriate for 32mm tires that passes via agricultural lands, woods, wetlands, and prairies, in addition to the path cities of Verona and Mt Horeb.
A basic trip is a lunch run to Riley Tavern, which is a 21-mile out-and-back from The Velo UnderRound. Ardent riders would possibly wish to problem the climb in Blue Mound State Park on the biggest hill within the southern half of the state. The section from the guardhouse to the highest has a median grade of 10% with a most of over 20% (yikes!).
Capital Metropolis Path (17 miles, paved)
The Capital Metropolis Path is the final, however actually not least, of the featured Madison bike paths. It’s the one 100% paved characteristic path and connects the Navy Ridge State Path, Badger State Path, and, ultimately, the Glacial Drumlin State Path.
Madison BCycle
Madison BCycle is an superior app-driven e-bike trade you unlock along with your cellphone. Greater than 500 bikes can be found throughout greater than 80 stations in Madison and Fitchburg. BCycles are nice if you happen to’re visiting from out of city and wish to plan a biking weekend in Madison or for locals trying to get again into biking.
Subscription charges are low sufficient that you just would possibly simply wish to subscribe and let the BCycle crew deal with your upkeep. Vacation spot Madison has a Learn how to BCycle web page that claims, “In 2022, riders took 327,845 journeys on BCycle e-bikes, which offset greater than 869,749 kilos of carbon emissions. That’s the equal of 1,351,091 miles pushed by a median gas-powered automobile or 106 properties’ electrical energy use for one 12 months!”
Bicycle Advantages
Bicycle Advantages is a motorbike advocacy program with a easy, three-step plan to get individuals out using:
1) Get a sticker ($5 at any taking part companies)
2) Put it in your helmet (it’s best to all the time put on a helmet whereas biking)
3) Bike and save (two of my favourite issues)
With a metropolis as bike loopy as Madison, you’d think about there can be many taking part companies. You’d be appropriate. The Bike Advantages has over 37 pages of taking part corporations.
Parting Ideas on Madison Bike Paths
With an abundance of parks and bike paths, it’s no shock that Madison is likely one of the nation’s fittest cities. The 2022 American Health Index lists Madison because the second fittest metropolis within the nation, which isn’t unhealthy for a state recognized for cheese and beer!
Learn Extra From Coleman Concierge:
Right here’s a sizzling take – the Madison, Wisconsin restaurant scene goes manner past cheese curds. Let’s begin with the farm-to-table prospects if you’re in the midst of the heartland with the nation’s largest producer-only Farmers Market. Throw in some worldwide aptitude from being one of many ten most educated cities within the US and its proximity to Chicago (America’s third largest metropolis). And end it off with a great beer and a few cheese curds, as a result of – On, Wisconsin!
14 Madison Wisconsin Eating places So Good You’ll Need to Transfer There!
Final Information to Biking the Monon Path (Plus Interactive Map)
Biking the Monon Path takes you 27 miles via tree-lined paths that join Westfield, Carmel, and Broad Ripple to downtown Indianapolis Indiana. Every cease has a novel persona that welcomes vacationers, with segments containing miles of lovely using and photo-worthy viewpoints. Learn on to find the highlights of the Monon Path.
Final Information to Biking the Monon Path (Plus Interactive Map)
The Greatest Biking in Columbus Ohio – 11 Trails You Have to Know
The place is the perfect biking in Columbus, Ohio? With over 100 miles of devoted bike trails, Columbus is staking its declare as one of many prime biking locations within the Midwest. It isn’t solely the greenways however the integration of your complete system with public transportation, native eating places, occasions, and sights that makes biking in C-Bus excellent. So clip in, and let’s discover the perfect biking in Columbus.
The Greatest Biking in Columbus Ohio – 11 Trails You Have to Know
Concierge Information to Northeast Florida Bike Trails and Biking Routes
Northeast Florida bike trails might be the nation’s best-kept biking secret. This Concierge Information provides you with the down-and-dirty particulars and inspirational insights to get you packing up your bikes and heading to the sunshine state.
Concierge Information to Northeast Florida Bike Trails and Biking Routes
