Bike Milwaukee to Elkhorn

Milwaukee to the Seven Waters Trail

Three possible routes from the Milwaukee Art Museum to the Seven Waters Trail in Racine county are described here: a route on city streets, the southern Oak Leaf Trail, and the Oak Leaf Trail from the North.

City Streets Route

There are many possible routes on city street, none obviously better than the rest. This route was chosen in large part because it avoids the disruption caused by reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange in downtown Milwaukee. It also attempts to avoid the heavily trafficked roads in the southwest corner of Milwaukee county.

From the art museum, follow the Oak Leaf Trail south onto Second Street (see our Milwaukee-Chicago route for a description). Turn west on Greenfield and follow marked bike routes as follows:

S on 26th
W on Becher
S on 29th
SW on Forest Home (includes a short stretch of bike lanes)
W on Morgan
S on 84th St. (Becomes Greenway at Grange)
S on Glenwood Dr.
S on 92nd St
W on Rawson
S on the Franklin Trail
Continue S on 116th St
W on Ryan Rd
S on Cape Rd (Cty OO). At the intersection of Cty OO with highways 36 and 45 south), continue south one block on Hwy 45
SW on Loomis Dr.
At 3-way intersection where all three roads are called "Loomis Dr" take left fork (going north, take right fork).
Follow Loomis Drive (the old road) to Wind Lake and intersection with the Seven Waters Trail (called Burlington-Norway Trail on signs).

Alternatively, starting at the county line, the WepCo Trail (also called Muskego Trail south) closely follows Highway 36 on the north west side. (Mark Hintz has created a very good map of these routes and of the Seven Waters Trail in the next section). The trail ends at Muskego Dam Rd. From there to Racine county and the Seven Waters Trail, follow the shoulder of route 36.

Southern Oak Leaf Trail

From the art museum, go south on the Oak Leaf Trail (map) and then west as it follows Drexel Ave. Shortly before 68th St take the bicycle trail that goes south to the Milwaukee County Sports Complex.

Continue S on 60th
W on Oakwood Rd
S on 92nd St
W on County Line Rd (becomes Union Church Rd)
SW on Loomis Dr (old highway 36) into Wind Lake

Oak Leaf from the North

From the art museum to Greenfield Park this route follows that described in the Winona-Milwaukee route (in reverse). From Greenfield Park continue south on the Oak Leaf Trail. At Morgan, continue south on 116th St rather than the bike trail. (Alternatively one can follow the Oak Leaf Trail to Grange and the first route shown above.) The route continues as follows:

E on Howard
S on 112th
W on Cold Spring Rd
S on 116th
W on Woods Rd (part of the Wisconsin bikeway)
S on cty Y to Wind Lake

Seven Waters Trail (Norway-Burlington Trail)

This trail runs from the Waukesha-Racine county line to Burlington, paralleling Hwy 36. Most of the trail surface is compacted limestone, although the new connecting section through Waterford and Rochester is paved. Click here for a map. Note that construction of the Burlington bypass during the summer of 2008 has caused the closure of the trail where it crosses highway 36 south of Rochester. Continue on highway W to 36 and the trail.

There are several alternative routes on roads in the area. Where the trail follows Loomis Rd in Wind Lake, stay on the road into Waterford (Rustic Road No. 5). Cross the Fox River and continue south on Cty W through Rochester, to Burlington.

A longer, but scenic route follows the marked Racine county bike route:

SW on Loomis Rd.
W on Pioneer (turns north and becomes Settler)
W on Homestead
N on Town Line Rd
W on N Lake Dr.
S and W on Bridge
S on Marsh (turns east and becomes Range Dr.
S on Buena Vista Dr
E on Ela
S on Cty W (Jefferson and Front) into Rochester
W on Cty FF (West St and Academy Dr)
S on Honey Grove Rd (Rustic Road No. 2), becomes Grove St in Burlington

Follow route 36 (Milwaukee Ave. and State St.) through Burlington.

Burlington to Elkhorn

Leaving Burlington, at the Racine-Walworth county line, turn south on Spring Valley Rd, and then west on the new White River Trail. The trail has a crushed limestone surface which is generally good, but soft in spots. The Department of Natural Resources has posted a trail web site and map, which has not yet been updated, however, to reflect the completion of the trail between Lyons and Spring Valley Rd. A good place to stop for lunch or a snack is Lyons. The trail ends at Cty H in Elkhorn. Go north on H and W on Geneva St into Elkhorn. During the summer of 2008, construction of the Burlington bypass has resulted in the closure of Spring Valley Rd and the trail east of Lyons. To avoid riding on the shoulder of heavily travelled highway 36, one can take Spring Prairie Rd west from Burlington and then Lyons Rd south to the trail.

Here is a scenic alternative route on roads (including several rustic roads):

Continue on Spring Valley (Rustic road No. 11) (Closed during construction. Pick up Sheriden Springs Rd at Lyons.)
SW on Sheriden Springs Rd (Rustic road No. 12)
W on Buckby Rd (S on Sheriden Springs Rd to visit Lake Geneva). Buckby becomes Krueger.
NW on Cty NN. Follow NN to Elkhorn

West of Elkhorn

To continue:

In Elkhorn, go west on Geneva St
N on Washington St
W on Jefferson St. Leaving Elkhorn, Jefferson becomes Hazel Ridge.
S on Dam Rd into Delavan
W on Franklin St
NW on cty M. As it continues Cty M joins the route of the Wisconsin bikeway.
W on D & R Town Line Rd
N and W on Cty M to Milton & Milton Junction

	Wisconsin Bicycle Routes
	Milwaukee to Elkhorn
	Much of this route follows bicycle trails: the recently expanded and renamed "Seven Waters Trail" in Racine County from the county line to Burlington and the new River Trail in Walworth county from Burlington to Elkhorn. There are a number of possible routes from downtown Milwaukee to the start of the Seven Waters Trail, none of which is the obvious choice.
Milwaukee to the Seven Waters Trail Three possible routes from the Milwaukee Art Museum to the Seven Waters Trail in Racine county are described here: a route on city streets, the southern Oak Leaf Trail, and the Oak Leaf Trail from the North. City Streets Route There are many possible routes on city street, none obviously better than the rest. This route was chosen in large part because it avoids the disruption caused by reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange in downtown Milwaukee. It also attempts to avoid the heavily trafficked roads in the southwest corner of Milwaukee county. From the art museum, follow the Oak Leaf Trail south onto Second Street (see our Milwaukee-Chicago route for a description). Turn west on Greenfield and follow marked bike routes as follows: S on 26th W on Becher S on 29th SW on Forest Home (includes a short stretch of bike lanes) W on Morgan S on 84th St. (Becomes Greenway at Grange) S on Glenwood Dr. S on 92nd St W on Rawson S on the Franklin Trail Continue S on 116th St W on Ryan Rd S on Cape Rd (Cty OO). At the intersection of Cty OO with highways 36 and 45 south), continue south one block on Hwy 45 SW on Loomis Dr. At 3-way intersection where all three roads are called "Loomis Dr" take left fork (going north, take right fork). Follow Loomis Drive (the old road) to Wind Lake and intersection with the Seven Waters Trail (called Burlington-Norway Trail on signs). Alternatively, starting at the county line, the WepCo Trail (also called Muskego Trail south) closely follows Highway 36 on the north west side. (Mark Hintz has created a very good map of these routes and of the Seven Waters Trail in the next section). The trail ends at Muskego Dam Rd. From there to Racine county and the Seven Waters Trail, follow the shoulder of route 36. Southern Oak Leaf Trail From the art museum, go south on the Oak Leaf Trail (map) and then west as it follows Drexel Ave. Shortly before 68th St take the bicycle trail that goes south to the Milwaukee County Sports Complex. Continue S on 60th W on Oakwood Rd S on 92nd St W on County Line Rd (becomes Union Church Rd) SW on Loomis Dr (old highway 36) into Wind Lake Oak Leaf from the North From the art museum to Greenfield Park this route follows that described in the Winona-Milwaukee route (in reverse). From Greenfield Park continue south on the Oak Leaf Trail. At Morgan, continue south on 116th St rather than the bike trail. (Alternatively one can follow the Oak Leaf Trail to Grange and the first route shown above.) The route continues as follows: E on Howard S on 112th W on Cold Spring Rd S on 116th W on Woods Rd (part of the Wisconsin bikeway) S on cty Y to Wind Lake Seven Waters Trail (Norway-Burlington Trail) This trail runs from the Waukesha-Racine county line to Burlington, paralleling Hwy 36. Most of the trail surface is compacted limestone, although the new connecting section through Waterford and Rochester is paved. Click here for a map. Note that construction of the Burlington bypass during the summer of 2008 has caused the closure of the trail where it crosses highway 36 south of Rochester. Continue on highway W to 36 and the trail. There are several alternative routes on roads in the area. Where the trail follows Loomis Rd in Wind Lake, stay on the road into Waterford (Rustic Road No. 5). Cross the Fox River and continue south on Cty W through Rochester, to Burlington. A longer, but scenic route follows the marked Racine county bike route: SW on Loomis Rd. W on Pioneer (turns north and becomes Settler) W on Homestead N on Town Line Rd W on N Lake Dr. S and W on Bridge S on Marsh (turns east and becomes Range Dr. S on Buena Vista Dr E on Ela S on Cty W (Jefferson and Front) into Rochester W on Cty FF (West St and Academy Dr) S on Honey Grove Rd (Rustic Road No. 2), becomes Grove St in Burlington Follow route 36 (Milwaukee Ave. and State St.) through Burlington. Burlington to Elkhorn Leaving Burlington, at the Racine-Walworth county line, turn south on Spring Valley Rd, and then west on the new White River Trail. The trail has a crushed limestone surface which is generally good, but soft in spots. The Department of Natural Resources has posted a trail web site and map, which has not yet been updated, however, to reflect the completion of the trail between Lyons and Spring Valley Rd. A good place to stop for lunch or a snack is Lyons. The trail ends at Cty H in Elkhorn. Go north on H and W on Geneva St into Elkhorn. During the summer of 2008, construction of the Burlington bypass has resulted in the closure of Spring Valley Rd and the trail east of Lyons. To avoid riding on the shoulder of heavily travelled highway 36, one can take Spring Prairie Rd west from Burlington and then Lyons Rd south to the trail. Here is a scenic alternative route on roads (including several rustic roads): Continue on Spring Valley (Rustic road No. 11) (Closed during construction. Pick up Sheriden Springs Rd at Lyons.) SW on Sheriden Springs Rd (Rustic road No. 12) W on Buckby Rd (S on Sheriden Springs Rd to visit Lake Geneva). Buckby becomes Krueger. NW on Cty NN. Follow NN to Elkhorn West of Elkhorn To continue: In Elkhorn, go west on Geneva St N on Washington St W on Jefferson St. Leaving Elkhorn, Jefferson becomes Hazel Ridge. S on Dam Rd into Delavan W on Franklin St NW on cty M. As it continues Cty M joins the route of the Wisconsin bikeway. W on D & R Town Line Rd N and W on Cty M to Milton & Milton Junction