Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Description

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF RAIL TRAILS IN WISCONSIN
 
The department will be working with the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks and other organizations to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Rail Trails program in Wisconsin. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to convert an abandoned railway corridor into a recreational trail with the establishment of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in 1965.  Since that time Wisconsin has developed an additional 40 state tails (36 are rail trails) extending nearly 2,000 miles.
 
There will be a celebration of this landmark this summer, with the main event a ceremonial ribbon cutting of the Elroy Sparta State Trail at the Kendall Depot, on Saturday, June 6, which is also National Trails Day and the first day of Free Fun Weekend in Wisconsin, where trail passes, admission stickers, fishing licenses and out-of-state ATV passes are waived for the weekend.
 
In addition to the 2 p.m. ribbon cutting, the event will include rides beginning at different locations on the trail all meeting at Kendal for the ribbon cutting, guest dignitaries including former Gov. Tommy Thompson and (invited) Gov. Scott Walker and DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.  There will also be a Lions Club lunch, ice cream and free popcorn.  That will be followed by a trail tour ride to one of the tunnels.